Dear Brothers and Sisters: As a Westniler, I have the privilege of contributing on this vital discussion of West Nile Public University. The discussion has developed into splitting us in two sides, one being for those who favour the Government offer of a public University in our area of West Nile and another for those who think that our priority should be placed in infrastructural developments first and, worst of all are those who, "believe having a public university in the region is a misplaced priority". As if, Government investment into building a higher learning institution, such as a Public University in West Nile is not a great development investment for the region in particular and, a general development investment for the whole Country. Nearly all the regions in Uganda have Universities, and some have Public Universities too. My thinking is that when Government recognizes the need of a Public University in a region, even though members from that region have played a part in such a development effort to take place, generally, we the stakeholders from West Nile are grateful. It should be understood that we from West Nile need not beg for development to occur in our region. We have equally contributed to the country and in return we must be rewarded for development to occur in our region, therefore we deserve a Public University, as soon as possible. It is true that we require infrastructure developments very badly in all the districts of West Nile. All those items mentioned by Vasco, at al, are badly required. In my view and in the views expressed by the people of West Nile, however, a Public University brings to the region a lot of multiplier effect that will quickly resonate infrastructure developments, such as power, roads, water and sewer, hospitals, Airport facilities and name others. More importantly we need to recognize that if we miss this offer, it is as if we are going backwards. Mr. Alaka, Charles, Bernard and many others put it very well that we better unite and encourage our new task force to do their best and go ahead with our presentation for work to stat rt as scheduled. I say all these in favour of the Public University of West Nile for God and the good of our region. Modesto
________________________________ From: Bernard Bonton Obaa <[email protected]> To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> Sent: Fri, February 5, 2010 2:12:01 AM Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] Re: Public University in West Nile Dear Vasco, I have read closely your arguement against establishment of a public university in Westnile. You have made a compelling case for infrastructure development as a top development priority for the region. In many of your previous postings, you have made great policy proposals for development of the region. Unfortunately, you are undoing all the previous good arguements by saying establishing a university is a misplaced priority for addressing the real development issues of the region. You have argued in favor of power, airport, a sewer system and a stable communication network. Why do you find it problematic if we have a public university and still address the issues you have listed? These are not mutually exclusive issues. You have adviced that our focus should instead be on the dilapidated educational infrasture at lower levels. This line of arguement is self-defeating because when you improve our primary and secondary schools, they produce students who would like to access university education. Through teaching, research and outreach activities, public universities improve overall educational systems in a region, including primary and secondary schools. Also, public universities have abilities, independent of government, to attract resources to a region. A public university has very many other associated development benefits that seem to escape your thinking. I suggest that you take some time to educate yourself on the role of public universities in regional development. You will probably discover that your arguement against establishing a public university as a top priority is actually anti-development of the region. I am really disappointed that you think a focus on a public university is misleading. One of the main aims of WNF is is raise educational standards in the region by producing more masters and PhDs in the region. Given this aim, do you really believe having a public university in the region is a misplaced priority? Thank you for being very active on this forum. Ben On Thu, Feb 4, 2010 at 8:22 PM, Vasco Oguzua <[email protected]> wrote: Reading from the various submissions about the Public University there is a sense that the operation of this given University will have the greatest impact and help develop the West Nile region more than ensuring West Nile has stable power supply, a good supply of clean water and sewerage system, Arua Airport is developed to international status, a stable communication network (all of these are infrastructure developments that are vital for the development of a region). >I know I may be a lone dissenter, but I still submit that the idea of rushing >for a university is a misplaced priority for the development of West Nile as a >region. Many have mentioned the impact of Gulu university and Mbarara >University as examples of how the respective areas where these Universities >are found have developed. One thing they have not mentioned in their >submission is that these two areas have been with relatively stable and >sufficient electricity supply for more than 30 years and they are in the >National Grid. Has the West nile region ever been in the National Grid. >Take a view of the news which is in the papers: >http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/855174/-/whyave/-/index.html > >Is West Nile not a part of the country that it has been excluded in the Nation >rigid of Fibre Optics? Has the President be the one to give us or do us >another favour of allowing Arua to be included in the National Grid of Fibre >Optics. Infrastructure (roads, energy, water, airport, communications network) >are what will provide more jobs, improve the economy and improve living >conditions of the people in West Nile not a University. We should rather >address the dilapidated conditions in our Primary and Secondary schools with >such money and perhaps build more Vocational Technical schools which will >train hands on skills for our young men and women. I think we really need to >put in perspective the development priorities of West Nile Region as a whole >and strategize on priorities we set rather than getting excited about what is >given. >The issue of organizing workshops to discuss development priority issues in >West Nile therefore becomes a must, and a cross-section of the population in >the region need to be invited for such a workshop because the general view of >the people who we may be talking for advocating development for need to be >corroborated into the decision process of the elite and professionals. May be >that should be where we should begin rather than delve into a University which >I am sure the local people on the ground have no knowledge of or are not >informed about. The WNF as a civic organization should take the lead in >organizing such workshops and people of various walks and interests should be >invited and allowed to openly discuss these issues without fear and favour. > >Thanks, > >Vasco Oguzua > >________________________________ >_______________________________________________ >WestNileNet mailing list >[email protected] >http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >% WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > > >The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. >_______________________________________________ > >
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