By Frank Kamuntu
Victoria University Vice Chancellor, Prof Lawrence Muganga has been recognized by Public Opinions International as one of the top 75 Uganda Development Champions and Leaders appreciated for their exceptional contributions towards Uganda’s economy.
Prof Muganga, who has become a household name in Uganda’s education joins 74 other notable leaders for their intense contributions towards achieving the country’s Vision 2040 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Mr Buyinza Adam Luzindana, the CEO of Public Opinions confirmed Muganga’s inclusion while unveiling the 2024 list of the top 75 Uganda Development Champions and Leaders whose efforts have largely contributed to Uganda’s development in their respective sectors.
Mr Buyinza noted that the Government of Uganda, under the unwavering leadership of H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has revolutionized the education sector, ensuring education is a fundamental right for all citizens.
“Notable achievements include establishing the National Council for Higher Education, the Functional Adult Literacy Programme, school facilitation grants, and the loan scheme for university students. The number of universities has increased from one in 1986 to over 24 presently,” he said.
“Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) have improved literacy rates from 43% to 76%. Enrollment in primary and secondary schools has skyrocketed to 10.7 million and 2 million, respectively.”
According to Mr Buyinza, “over 90% of parishes have a primary school, and 90% of sub-counties have a secondary school. The government has invested heavily in infrastructure development, expanding classroom infrastructure in 138 primary schools and constructing 21 boarding primary schools in Karamoja. These strides demonstrate Uganda’s commitment to education for all.”
The top 75 Development Champions and Leaders according to Mr Buyinza demonstrated unwavering commitment to realizing President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s vision.
Why Muganga deserves the inclusion and recognition?
Ever since he stormed Uganda’s education sector as Victoria University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lawrence Muganga, a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) holder has and is still working hard to restore the promise of higher education and is motivated to make a difference not only in Uganda but also in the entire region and continent.
Under his stewardship, Victoria University was able to finally acquire a full charter status from the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) following its continued efforts in revolutionizing the education sector in the country despite the COVID-19 pandemic side effects that saw millions of institutions of learning unable to keep up.
The Charter gave Victoria University authority to award Doctorate Programs alongside its undergraduate programs currently being offered. This is something most institutions in Uganda have sweatily worked for ever since they were established but unfortunately, few have achieved this, Victoria University inclusive of course…courtesy of Prof.Muganga’s tireless efforts.
Holding the above aside, out of the massive digital innovations established by Prof Muganga at Victoria University, the institution this year scooped an EON-XR Centre which is actually the first-ever in Uganda. The EON-XR is an advanced digital centre that connects millions of students, employees, and citizens for the present and future while both replacing and aiding traditional training and teaching methods in dozens of global universities.
”We are happy to be the first university approved to host an EON XR Reality Center, which means our students will be able to teleport themselves into a classroom in New York, London, Abuja or anywhere in the world,” a humble but workaholic Muganga said in 2022 when the varsity secured the development.
But Who is Lawrence Muganga?
Dr Lawrence Muganga is an educationist, thought leader, Professor of Education, award-winning best-selling author, international curriculum speaker, and passionate about changing the education factory called the school in Uganda.
He has researched extensively and written about a cutting-edge educational paradigm titled Authentic Learning, this literary means an education that prepares learners for the real world by equipping them with real-life skills to handle life today and tomorrow.
Muganga is the author of “You can’t Make Fish Climb Trees: Overcoming Educational Malpractice through Authentic Learning” one of the bestselling books on Amazon and a must-read that provoked an international conversation about the ills of the education systems globally.
Education & Experience
Muganga attended Makerere University Kampala from where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science Economics and Rural Economy (1998-2001). Later, he proceeded with school at Makerere University from where he attained a Master’s Degree in Economic Policy Management (EPM), 2005-2007.
In 2011, he attended IFSE Institute for a Certificate Canadian Investment Fund Course (CIFC) and later Georgia Brown College where he obtained a Certificate in instructing adults (Teaching and Training).
From 2012-2018, Muganga enrolled for his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.) Educational Administration and Leadership, Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta, and also attended Harvard University, Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning from where he attained a Higher Education Teaching Certificate.
Muganga also attended military training in Gabiro and intelligence training in Kibuye present-day Karongi, Rwanda.
Muganga’s career is rotated around on providing independent policy advice, analysis, clear and user-friendly research work. He earned a name in Canada, Ethiopia, and Rwanda as a result of his service and he’s very talented and skilled in identifying and explaining strategy issues, researching contentious issues and explaining complex policies.
Dr Muganga is very much interested in human capital development and improving human life quality and his major focus is development, planning, implementation, policy assessment and research studies.
At home, Dr Muganga works hand in hand with think tanks, universities, policy institutes, multi-national development agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations, international aid organizations, education managers, administrators, leaders, policymakers, students, parents, community members, and governments to develop, implement and support Authentic Learning.
Muganga also renders support to curriculum experts, teaching facilitators, and independent citizens searching for solutions to better the education system to deliver meaningful learning and trainers. His advice is mainly focused on the urgency to equip learners with the skills needed to address challenges facing the 21st century and the forthcoming generations.
Dr Muganga plans to create centres of education, and innovation, set up modern schools, and restructure classrooms to make learning relevant to the real world as well as develop a common 21st-century language for teaching and learning. He advocates for a revolutionized education model that would see learners’ individuality to empower them such that they traverse their future into real success and meaningful life.
Dr Muganga worked as a Performance Management Specialist for 4 years and 10 months since Feb 2017, in Edmonton, Canada. Then from August 2014 to February 2017, he served as Program and Policy Advisor still in Edmonton, Canada.
From May 2013 to May 2014, Dr Muganga worked as the Acting Executive Director at Edmonton Multicultural Coalition.
From June 2012-December 2013, Dr Muganga served as the Program Manager in Edmonton, Canada leading, managing and implementing programs whose goal was to make Edmonton safe habitant, work, and play for humans of all cultural backgrounds through the Multicultural Coalition in partnership with Edmonton Police Service (EPS), REACH Edmonton and City of Edmonton Community Services.
From May 2011 to August 2012, Dr Muganga served as an Outreach Support Worker at Capital Region Housing Works Project, Edmonton Mennonite Centre Edmonton, Alberta Canada. While in December 2010-February 2011, Dr Muganga was a Language for Workplace Connection Trainee, in Toronto, Canada.
From April 2010 to July 2014, Dr Muganga was the Senior Fellowship and Coordinator of Strategy and Competitiveness at Rwanda Institute of Administration and Management. While in December 2007-July 2010, he was the Chairperson Board of Directors (Voluntary Work) at Rwanda Youth Network (RYN), Kigali Rwanda.
From June 2007 to June 2010, he was an Assistant Lecturer Faculty of Economic Sciences at the Independent Institute of Lay Adventists of Kigali (INILAK), Kigali, Rwanda. While in March 2007-March 2010, Dr Muganga served as the Program Coordinator Public Sector Capacity Building Secretariat (PSCBS), Kigali Rwanda.
From May 2006 to July 2008, he was the Assistant Lecturer of Management and Economics at the Kigali Institute of Management (KIM), Kigali Rwanda. From November 2012 to the present, Dr Muganga has been the Vice President Board of Governance Rwandese Canadian Community of Edmonton (RCCE), Alberta Canada.
From October 2012 to March 2013, he was the Strategic Advisor, Mentor and Motivational Speaker at the African Canadian Centre for Excellence (ACE), in Edmonton Alberta, Canada.
From March 2013 to the present, Dr Muganga worked as the Organization’s Strategic Advisor at Canadian Heart across Borders (CHAB), Alberta Canada.
Dr Muganga has skills in identifying and explaining complex policy and strategy issues and researching contentious issues. He once served as the mouthpiece of the Rwandan community in Uganda.
Credit: DailyExpressUG
