The Vice-President of Uganda Rtd Maj Jessica Alupo has urged universities and tertiary institutions to adopt competence-based learning to produce graduates capable of creating jobs rather than waiting for employment.
Speaking in Kampala at the 16th graduation ceremony of St. Lawrence University, where she serves as Chancellor, Alupo said Uganda’s development agenda requires graduates who “think critically, create solutions and address real community challenges, not merely memorise content.”
She added: “Today’s graduation also aligns closely with the Government’s policy on liberalising Higher Education and the recommendations of the Education Policy Review Commission, which emphasizes a shift toward competency-based and skills-oriented education. Therefore, our focus is on skills, innovation, and job creation.”
The vice president’s remarks coincide with the government’s ongoing shift from theory-based teaching to practical, project-driven learning under the new lower secondary Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) rolled out in 2020.
The system emphasizes continuous assessment and project work, replacing traditional grading divisions with competency-level evaluations.
Alupo stressed that higher education institutions should adopt similar approaches to produce work-ready graduates.
“Competency-Based Education, supported by Artificial Intelligence, enables learners to acquire practical skills, entrepreneurial mindsets, and adaptive capabilities that are essential for job creation and sustainable development,” she said.
The ceremony, themed Integrating Artificial Intelligence in the Competency-Based Curriculum, saw 465 students graduate with certificates, diplomas, bachelor’s, postgraduate, and master’s degrees. Females accounted for 52 percent of the cohort.
Dr Deo Apollo Musiisi urged universities to embrace AI, drone technology, and space science to prepare graduates for a rapidly evolving global economy.
“We are no longer only working on the earth’s surface. Today, technology allows us to work underground, on water, and even in space. Uganda must prepare its young people for these opportunities,” Dr Musiisi said, noting that drones can transform sectors such as health, agriculture, and transport.
Alupo emphasized that AI is already reshaping learning, research, and innovation.
“As a forward-looking, ICT-driven university, we must ensure that our graduates are not merely consumers of technology, but creators, innovators, and ethical leaders in the digital age,” she advised.
St. Lawrence University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Charles W. Masaba, revealed that all academic programmes are being redesigned for a competency-based model, promoting project-based, collaborative, and experiential learning.
“You carry with you more than certificates and transcripts. You carry competencies, values, and responsibilities. The world expects you to innovate, lead, and transform society using knowledge and ethical judgment,” he told the congregation.