Since the East African Community was launched in 1999, student traffic has been on a steady rise. Uganda has the lion's share of East Africans studying in its schools and institutions of higher learning. The numbers have been increasing by almost 50% every passing year, figures indicate.

According to The State of Higher Education and Training in Uganda 2005 report by the National Council of Higher Education, the number of foreign students more than doubled from 2,947 or 2.7% in 2004, to around 7,735 or 8.7% in the 2005 intake.

It further rose to around 10% or close to 9,000 foreign students in the 2005/2006 intake. In 2005 alone, Uganda admitted at least 1,700 foreign students, many of them privately sponsored. In total, according to the statistics, there were 11,992 East African students studying in Ugandan universities in 2006.

The figure rose to around 14,700 in 2007 and it was estimated at over 18,000 in 2008. Another 106 were in teacher training colleges, 98 in clinical and medical institutes and 447 in commercial colleges.

Comparatively though, other than the official annual exchange of students amongst universities in the region, very few Ugandans go and study in the other East African universities.

Every year, at least 5 Ugandan students are sent to Tanzania and another 5 to Kenya and vice-versa through an exchange programme. Less than 100 Ugandan students are studying in other East African universities.

Most of the private universities in Uganda are fed by students from Uganda's neighbours. In fact, some of these universities have got more foreigners than local students. In Kampala International University, for example, foreign students account for more than 60% of the student population.

Primary level
In the 2000 UPE review, it was established that there was an estimated 20% of foreigners in schools in Busia, Malaba, Tororo and Mbale. On the Rwandese border, it was noted that pupils crossed every morning and studied in Ugandan primary schools.

Free primary education was established in Kenya in 2002, the number of pupils crossing reduced, though they still come. This was the same case with Rwanda and Tanzania, where pupils crossed every morning to study in primary schools across the border.

Secondary level
In the border town of Tororo, for example, several of the major secondary schools are fed by Kenyan students. Tororo Progressive, one of the largest private schools in Tororo district, has about half of its population from Kenya.

The situation is similar in many other border schools. London College of St Lawrence located at Maya along Kampala-Masaka high way is one of the leading schools with a big number of foreign students.

According to a Kenyan parent interviewed by this writer, one of the reasons she brought her children to Uganda is that the charges are relatively cheaper. "The charges for some of the high quality schools in Uganda are just half of what is charged for a same quality school in Kenya," she said.

The allure of joining some of Uganda's universities also pulls them here. "We join Ugandan secondary schools so that we get a chance to join some of the better quality universities in Uganda like Makerere, Kyambogo and others," says Mariam Kariuki, a Kenyan student at Kabojja University.

University level
At Makerere University, about 1,717 foreign students were admitted in the 2005/2006 intake.

This number constitutes about 5.7% of the total admissions at the University. Kenyans account for the highest number of admissions, at 1,592, followed by Tanzania with 97 students. Others are Sudanese with 12, India, South Africa, Botswana, Congo, USA, Swaziland and Rwanda all of whom have got less than 10 each.

Worthy of note is that about 75% of all foreign students admitted at Makerere and other Ugandan universities studied in Ugandan schools. By the end of the 2005 academic year, KIU had 3,061 foreign students as compared to a total enrollment of 3,672 students. The figure rose to around 6,715 in the 2006 academic year and estimated to be 12,000 at the moment.

KIU markets itself as an international university. "Many of the students come because of our good tuition rates and facilities," says KIU Vice Chancellor Professor Ndawula. KIU has got a rigorous advertising centre in Kenya and Tanzania.

However, six years ago when this campaign started, Kenyans were skeptical of its quality and intensions. According to then Deputy Director of Education G.K. Lengoiboni, KIU was temporarily struck off the list of universities that were recommended for Kenyan students. However, the ban was lifted a few days later, after KIU management showed the Kenyan administration that they had what it takes to be a university.

There is probably no area of the country, where Kenyan students have made a big impact like Kansanga, the location of KIU. They dominate the entertainment spots and have proved good customers for business people there.

Bugema University also has a big number of foreign students. At the end of the 2005 academic year, the University had 789 foreign students out of a total population of 1,545 students. The figure rose to 862 in 2006.

According to the Public Relations Officer at the University, Ruth Alideki, Bugema is an international university that admits students without consideration of colour, race, nationality or even religious affiliations.

Nkumba University had 238 foreign students out of a total enrollment of 3,917 students in 2005. The figure rose to 383 in 2006 and to around 400 in 2007. Ndejje University had just 40 out of a total enrollment of about 1,500, Uganda Martyr's University Nkozi had 161 out of a total population of 2,597 and Busoga University had 197 in 2007.

New universities like St Lawrence and Lugazi University have also cashed in. At the moment, there are over 1,000 foreign students at Lugazi University. Islamic University in Uganda and Kampala University are some of the other universities with considerable enrollment of foreign students.   

Todate, Gulu University has been the only public university with no single foreign student admitted.

The trend indicates that foreign students come mainly for university education, but not for diploma education. By the end of the 2005 academic year, there was no single registered foreign student in National Teachers Colleges, Uganda Technical Colleges and leading public National Colleges of Commerce.

However, there were about 163 registered in private colleges of commerce and computer institutions. Kenyans, Rwandese and Tanzanians joined later in 2006, with a total of 106.

Furthermore, there is no particular course that attracts foreign students. In most of the universities, foreigners cut across courses. From Law to Mass Communication to nursing and management courses, they are there in big numbers. blog comments powered by Disqus

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