Apac, Uganda: The Won Nyaci of Lango, Eng. Dr. Micheal Odongo has launched a landmark bursary scheme aimed at rescuing hundreds of brilliant but financially crippled students from dropping out of school.
The bursary, unveiled Wednesday at Shano Guest House in Apac Municipality, is already being hailed as a game-changing intervention in a region long neglected by government programs and development agendas.
“Our children are dying silently with their dreams buried in poverty,” said Mr. George Angoli, the State Minister for Education in charge of bursaries at the Lango Cultural Institution. “This bursary is not charity, it’s a necessity.”
The scheme will cater for learners who have excelled in O-Level and A-Level exams but lack resources to advance to university or vocational training.
Officials said partnerships have already been secured with more than 18 secondary schools and tertiary institutions through signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). “We are here to say: no more excuses. From now on, being poor will not be a reason for a bright child to drop out,” Mr. Angoli declared.
Mr. R.S. Tego, State Minister for Sports in the cultural institution, stressed that the bursary will be open to all learners across Lango, regardless of religion, clan, or social background, provided they have the grades to prove their potential. “This is about equity. We’re giving power back to merit and restoring dignity to the poor,” Tego said.
Institutional leaders hinted at a transparent vetting process involving head teachers, community leaders, and education officers to ensure fairness in beneficiary selection.
The bursary scheme is part of Won Nyaci’s broader directive to place education at the center of Lango’s development strategy. “Education is not optional. It is our frontline defense against generational poverty,” said Mr. Patrick Abal, a clan leader of Arak Ongoda.
A Shift in Tackling Poverty
Local education advocates described the bursary as a turning point. “This is a cultural institution taking ownership of the education crisis — something we rarely see,” said Mr. James Akeba, head teacher of Apac Seed S.S. “It gives us hope, but we must follow through.”
Applications for the bursary are already open, with each candidate required to pay Shs 500,000, which covers application forms and related costs. For medical courses, application forms can be picked from Radio Apac and Radio Divine at Shs 10,000.
Families, school administrators, and leaders across Lango have been urged to identify and support potential beneficiaries.
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