KAMPALA, PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA — Rukiga District Woman MP Hon. Dr. Sylvia Tumuheirwe has urged the Government to prioritise the establishment of a technical institution in the district to expand access to skills training and improve the productivity of local communities.
Tumuheirwe made the appeal on the floor of Parliament while contributing to a discussion on statements by ministers regarding the performance of their respective sectors. She commended the ministers for their presentations, describing the information provided as encouraging, before narrowing her submission to education challenges affecting Rukiga.
The legislator said Rukiga has approximately 23,000 pupils enrolled in primary schools and 7,000 students in secondary schools, highlighting the need for interventions that would help more learners progress through the education system and acquire practical skills for employment and economic advancement.
She expressed concern that a significant number of children do not make it to secondary school, warning that limited access to further education could undermine their future opportunities and restrict their ability to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Tumuheirwe also pointed to the district’s limited land availability, stating that land per capita in Rukiga was effectively zero acres, compared with a national average of two acres. She said the situation makes access to land difficult for residents who depend on it for agriculture and other economic activities.
According to the MP, limited access to both higher education and land creates additional barriers for local communities seeking to improve their livelihoods. She argued that expanding technical and vocational education would give young people practical alternatives for building their futures, particularly where access to land-based opportunities is constrained.
The Rukiga legislator further noted that the district had not benefited from the policy of establishing at least one institution in every district, particularly in relation to technical education. She appealed to the Government to prioritise Rukiga in plans to expand the country’s network of technical training institutions.
Tumuheirwe also called for the Government to consider making Level One, Level Two and Level Three training in technical institutions free. She said removing training costs would enable more Ugandans to acquire practical skills, especially those from communities where financial constraints limit access to further education.
She said expanding affordable technical education would help equip Ugandans with employable skills and support the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy. Tumuheirwe urged the Government to address Rukiga’s education and land-related challenges through targeted interventions, emphasising that greater access to technical training could improve livelihoods and strengthen the district’s contribution to national economic growth.
