Cavendish University Uganda (CUU) has continued to make learning easy for people who wish to continue with their studies amidst the covid-19 pandemic crisis.
Being one of the few institutions that were permitted by the National Council for Higher Education to teach online, CUU opened doors for its August-September intake on September 21, 2020 and studying is currently taking place at all levels.
During a presser that happened at the university’s main campus in Nsambya on Friday, the University management said that they were already prepared a long time ago before Covid-19 happened, so the pandemic didn’t affect them much.
According to Dr Olive Sabiiti, the Deputy Vice Chancellor CUU, President Yoweri Museveni’s directive which saw all schools closed due to Covid-19 pandemic outbreak affected CUU less, for they only closed their physical campus but learning and teaching never stopped.
“We employed virtual and remote learning systems. Luck always favours the prepared ones and here at CUU, we already had a sophisticated learning platform because we have distance learning students. CUU was already employing a blended learning approach,” she said.
She added that, being a student centred University, they recognised that most of their students who used to study at campus didn’t have the funds or software to enable them continue with their studies, so the university took the initiative to support all their students.
“Some of our students didn’t have funds to invest in devices and paying for user software, so the university paid all the user licences for all our learners and those user licences are valid for a full year and our students had to pay nothing extra,” she said.
At the same event, the University also offered 25 full scholarships to the lucky students for their August-September intake 2020, and the major requirement was for one to have three principle passes, a minimum of 12 points, and at least six passes at O’Level.
Dr Sabiiti said that these scholarships are fully funded and what the awardees need is only to buy a pen.
“They don’t have any money worries. As aside from catering for their tuition fee for the duration of their degree programme, the university also covers all functional fees and the student is only required to buy a pen,” she said.
This year, a total of 60 Scholarships including 2 Rt. Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga Scholarship Awards have been awarded.
In addition to the scholarships, the university assigns peer tutors and these students also have a chance to engage in the Cavendish University Mentorship Programme (CUMP) which helps to groom students into responsible and employable citizens.
Dr Denis Mutabanura further announced that the University will be holding a commemoration mass for their fallen Vice Chancellor H.E Benjamin William Mkapa, the former President of Tanzania who passed on July 24, 2020.
This event will take place next Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at the University’s main campus.
Dr Mutabanura said that Mkapa took over as the University’s Vice Chancellor on December 5, 2014 and he was in that office for six years out of the 12 years the University has been in existence.
According to Dr Mutabanura, Mkapa presided over 80% of the University’s graduations, including the virtual one which happened on May 28, 2020, and for that and many unforgettable contributions towards the University, they will be launching a memorial lecture and Scholarship programmes to remember Mkapa.
“We will be able to learn from those who studied, lived and worked with him and the event will be presided over by H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni,” he said.
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