OVERVIEW; CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES TOWARDS SOMALI STUDENTS IN UGANDA

Approximately on the early 2005, were started coming Somali students into Uganda. The Somali students have been increasing year after year but now is at the peak, while still being anticipating would boost their entry into Uganda, despite they are all not there for educational purpose.

Kampala is the Capital city of Uganda, it hosts Majority of the Somali students and the reason is located the maximum universities in Uganda, leading it by Makarere university. Kisenyi and Kansanga villages are where the Somali students being resident. Kisenyi is near to the town market, while kansanga is neighboring to multiple Universities, hence mainly residents are students.

        Image of Kamapala, Uganda.

         Source: From Google

Makerere University, Kampala is Uganda's largest and oldest institution of higher learning, first established as a technical school in 1922. It became an independent national university in 1970. Also have the top ranking position in Uganda while a top ten in whole of Arica.

      Some image of Makerere University.

Source: from google

Unfortunately Somali students haven't access equal chances to join ease that prestigious university. Some of them have an excess to join easily while others don't have, this is regarding to their institutions they graduated it.

"The only specific university in Somalia recognized fully by Makerere University is Mogadisho University," said a student who joined Makerere this year of study. While the entirely are not fully recognized".

Furthermore, he stated that when he applied to Makerere University, it took a long time to receive a response regarding his admission. During that time, he also ran several institutions in Uganda to demonstrate his qualifications.


However, most postgraduate students study in departments under the faculties of Social Science and Humanities or Economics and Management Science. This isn’t surprising because Uganda isn’t preferred in science departments such as Engineering and Health Science, so that's why they did not concentrate on it.

The universities where Somali students in Uganda study usually are listed below; as you go down, their number decreases.

1.      Kampala International University (KIU).
2.      Kampala University (Origin)
3.      International University of East Africa
4.      Islamic University in Uganda

5.      Cavendish University

6.      Bugema Univesity
7.      Clark University
8.      Victoria University
9.      Isbat University

10.    Makerere University

Challenges and Opportunities

Generally, we are mentioning the challenges and opportunity of Somali students in Uganda, they have more opportunity when we compare other countries that Somali learners study in post graduate and under graduate, for instance the Somali students they have well cheap rent houses and simple standard of living also the payment of universities is low cost despite the language of the country may participate the way they learning the students.

The chance of Somali students in Uganda in the side of government the Ugandan government has given Somali students a warmly welcome, this made easier to life freely in the country. Also the people of Uganda appears well prepared to interpersonal skills.

The environment of Uganda facilitates easily to study in your learning, also the climate of Uganda its well because most of the days are rainy and green plants also it participates, however the atmosphere and climate of Uganda are an extraordinary.

Other hand we highlight the challenges of Somali students in Uganda, the obstacles that faces the students sometimes is similar to the opportunities in many reason such reasons the Somali leaners in terms of health for example when student needs a treatment for that circumstances the student don't get a cheap medicine.

in addition, there is security uncertainty for some areas, you hear often Somali killed by Ugandans using by pang, this actions create the fear and attention of Somali students, also this country is very famous to the all kinds of drugs may be some of youth are vulnerable to commence that addictions, furthermore there is absence of parents, our parent is the biggest guide in our lives so that every student has its own responsibility.

Poor English language is the major problem of Somali students that faces during studying, this barrier caused misunderstanding among students and lectures even in social communication may effected.

There is difference between education system of Somalia and Uganda for example in Somalia time of learning is about six hours while Uganda is about ten hours, this heterogeneous lead to the Somali students be bored, besides the universities of Uganda their laws are very tight the other universities of Somalia many Somalis student perhaps difficult to understood that laws.

The conclusion of our article we summarize/shrink the opportunity and challenges of Somali students are always paralleling except for some conditions firstly the challenges if they attempt simply they can solve in particular they can make grouping and coalition and they can stablish organization that service for their needs secondly they have golden opportunities including language, government policies and standard of living those scenarios made the keys of Somali student in Uganda to life freely in that country. I hope every student in Uganda for progressing and bright future