(This article was first published in the New Vision on January 27, 2023)
By Ibrahim Ruhweza
Different exhibitors at the New Vision Expo are in high spirits as the event kicks off. The expo intends to boost the quality of education and connect experts to learners who are in search of innovations, career guidance as well as opportunities for growth and advancement.
Organised under the theme Where Education and the World of Employment Meet, the event is happening at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) in Nakawa, Kampala and has been embraced by hundreds of exhibitors, experts from different institutions and students, who are its key targets.
Robert Biragiro, an officer at Equity Bank assures students who will attend the event of various opportunities at their disposal. He says they can acquire knowledge on how to get a student loan and connect with potential sponsors who can help them advance in their studies.
“This is a great opportunity for us because we are going to meet our actual clients who are in need of our services. Students and school owners looking for loans to expand their education goals will be served,” he said.
Biragiro believes that education is a form of investment, and expo participants, especially students will be linked to the services they need.
Jacob Johns, another public relations officer from the International University of East Africa says the university has opportunities that will aid S.6 leavers to get guidance on how to make the right education decisions.
Johns says for a long time, high school candidates have made reckless decisions because of inadequate or lack of proper information and guidance. This has affected their academic performance, which could be the reason for the overwhelming high school dropout rate in Uganda.
Recently, Makerere University revealed that at least each academic year 1,000 of the 14000 students admitted at the university do not graduate.
This is a huge loss to a developing country like Uganda. According to Johns, this problem could reduce since students who may come will get the right academic guidance.
Clide Odhiambo from the African Leadership University (ALU) expects to see different people coming for leadership consultations which they are ready to give.
“Meeting young people and giving them basic training on leadership is our core business. Africa needs young leaders with a zeal to learn new ideas. Through this Education Expo we believe we shall deliver such ideas,” he says.
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