By Mike Rwothomio
Hundreds of students who have joined Kyambogo university learning Center Paidha, Zombo district, underwent extensive orientation, sending stakeholders and students with high jolt of hope.
The orientation serves as the fitting coda, for many who had doubts about the coming up of the Public University, that is the first of its kind in Greater Nebbi’s three districts of Zombo, Nebbi and Pakwach.
The center is situated at the now defunct Paidha Primary Teachers at Dwonga ward, Paidha town council, that sit on the expansive 80.9 hectares of land.
Under the national teacher policy 2019, government has provided framework to guide the professionalization of the teaching profession, to streamline the interventions aimed at standardizing teacher related issues of all education levels.The minimum qualification for all teachers in uganda regardless of the level of education they teach , shall be Bachelor’s Degree in Education or A Bachelor’s Degree with post_ graduate qualification in education.
On 25 March 2024, Zombo District local government and National council for higher education, handed over the spacious Paidha Primary Teachers College to Kyambogo University, in a ceremony that mustered hundreds of political, religious, cultural and local community.
In an interview with Journalists at the Campus on January 6,2025 , Dr. Joseph Rwothomio, a lecturer and the acting head of department in education planning and management at Kyambogo university, who is the focal point person for Paidha learning Center, rallies parents and stakeholders to send more students to the learning center, established to bring services nearer to locals in the region.
Rwothomio expressed his gratitude, having walked through the murky waters of processes to ensure the University’s establishment in the region, calling upon community not to take the opportunity lightly.
” We have walked a very long journey, what we have been struggling for has now come to pass.we have decided to start , right now we are putting certain things in place, I want to welcome you to Paidha learning center” Rwothomio told students during the orientation .
By 10:00 am on Monday, 60 out of the about 150 registered students had reported at the campus, and the administration is expressing sky-high hope that, in two weeks time, all students would report for lectures.
Rwothomio also hinted about their planed extensive mobilization of “A” Level Students , for full time program in the forthcoming August intake.
The Manager of the learning center John Manano stated that ” we have already started, we should stop complaining that we are left behind”
Last year, Zombo district leadership passed a unanimous resolution , giving lee way to the ministry of Education and sports to hand over the now defunct Paidha primary teachers college to Kyambogo University, after it was phased out as in line with the national teacher policy 2019.
Apparently the Branch for Paidha is serving grade III Teachers upgrading in Diploma in Primary school education, Bachelors in Education for Diploma holders.
Other programs the university plans to establish in the years to come are; Bachelor of Arts with Education, Bachelor of Science with Education, Bachelor of Social Sciences and Bachelor of Business Studies and other additional programs like special needs amongst others.
Margaret Aluka, the Registrar for the learning center , cautioned community against insecurity and vandalism, adding that ” I want to appeal for cooperation with the community members most especially on the security, because this facility is a blessing for our region”
She also sounded her appeal to the district security team, calling for their assistance incase of emergency.
The District Education Officer of Zombo Nickolas Odeba recently expressed hope , assuring of more enrollment and potentials the district has.
Students react
Patrick Onencan, a student and the area LCI chairperson of Paidha Primary Teachers College, said ” a meeting was held with community few days ago in preparation for this learning center, since the place is now secured, I call upon students to take their own safety seriously”
Consulate Maryekmungu, a female student who enrolled for Diploma in Primary Education expresses his happiness saying” we are excited to have this program in the area because we are the born of the area and it has come to stand here”
Paidha learning center, now becomes the Parmanent home of Kyambogo University, adding to it’s other learning centers like Soroti Campus in Eastern Uganda, and Bushenyi Campus in Western Uganda. This after the national teacher policy 2019 recommended the operationalization of only core primary teachers college, leaving colleges like Paidha and others with no option but to close automatically across the country.
The Zombo district LCV chairperson James Oruna Oyullu, recently urged the public to mobilize students to join the university learning center, assuring of conducive learning environment.
The Former state minister of Energy Simon D’janga, has called upon the media , to give positive publicity to the long awaited University, further urging community across west Nile region to send more learners in full support of the University
Last year during the handover of the facility to Kyambogo, Professor Elly Katunguka, The vice chancellor Kyambogo University commended Alur Kingdom and local leaders for the support, urging the community to take full charge of the University. He added that they will work with the locals to achieve the goals in west Nile and the entire country.
Paidha primary teachers college was established in 1982 as a government founded college in a church of Uganda primary school building in Mvungu upper primary school in the then Nebbi district.In 1989, Land was allocated for the college where it’s currently siting on 80.9 hectares in Dwonga ward, paidha town council.
Greater Nebbi subregion that comprises Districts of Pakwach, Nebbi and Zombo has only three notable institutions that include now Kyambogo University learning center Paidha, Ora technical institute Warr and Uganda college of Commerce pakwach.
The coming in of Kyambogo University in greater Nebbi has been widely welcomed by stakeholders across divide, since it’s going to serve as the only Public University for the community in greater Nebbi Subregion.
