Uganda validates the African Union Report on Higher Education Services in Uganda

16 October, 2014 – Entebbe, Uganda. The department of Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission convened today a one-day workshop to deliberate on the African Union Report on Education services in Uganda. The workshop was organized by the African Union Commission and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives of Uganda with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The objectives of the workshop was to bring together various stakeholders in the education sector to review the findings of the study on High Education Services in Uganda and share recommendations to improve competitiveness the sector.

Within the Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade and the Framework for fast tracking the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) by 2017, the African Union Heads of State and Government identified trade in services as an important emerging opportunity and called upon the African Union Commission and Regional Economic Communities to assist Member States in service sector development .The key challenge with the service sector, is limited information for policy makers to rely on to make the necessary policy development. Hence, the case study on higher education sector in Uganda was commissioned; to promote the knowledge and understanding of exporting higher education services and identify best practices to be shared among AU Member States.

In his opening statement, Mr. Chenjerai Chibaya, on behalf of the Director for the Department of Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission expressed his gratitude to the Government of Uganda for hosting the workshop. He noted that education is one of the key components of the Agenda 2063, and recalled the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission with the University of South Africa (UNISA) to promote Research and Development. “The report on Education Services in Uganda is part of a series of studies in select African Union Member states to highlight success stories and lessons learned in services exports in Africa. The Education sector in Uganda has been identified as one of the case studies because of its success in the region”, he said. In his conclusion he stressed that the role of Government in the education sector is paramount to ensure quality, competitiveness and encourage investment.

Mr. Patrick Okilangole, the Ag. Commissioner External Trade Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, thanked the African Union Commission for commissioning the study on Education services in Uganda. He highlighted that education sector in Uganda is one of the most successful service exports in Africa. “The study examined the policy context for higher education in Uganda and investigated how supportive the policy has been to the higher education institutions exports efforts. The study further reviewed the strengths, weaknesses challenges as well as emerging opportunities to Uganda’s export of higher education”, he emphasized. “I am happy to note that this study attempted to identify the elements in Uganda’s regional and international commitments that Ugandan universities and institutions of higher learning can take advantage of the increase the enrollment of foreign students in Uganda”, he concluded.

For more information, please contact: Mrs. Carolyne Tuimuhimbise, Trade Advisor - Email: Tumuhimbisec@africa-union.org

Media contact: Patient Atcho, Department of Trade and Industry – Email: atchop@africa-union.org