George Bita
21 May 2008
Kampala — THE defence and public service ministries are to evaluate soldiers' jobs and qualifications, the defence state minister has disclosed.
Ruth Nankabirwa pointed out that the military, unlike other civil service sectors, had not been adequately assessed.
"The military has been cheated. For example, when does the military get official leave?" she said last week at the joint graduation ceremony of the School of Military Intelligence and the Junior Staff College in Gadhafi barracks, Jinja.
She said there was need to equate military qualifications to the conventional academic qualifications like A' level and degrees.
Nankabirwa caused laughter when she suggested that trained soldiers were equal or even above the level of a first degree graduate.
"The science material that soldiers get exposed to could be beyond the scope of a university Bachelors degree. Our officers and men should not be cheated."
Nankabirwa advised the trainees not to treat their training as second-rate to conventional tertiary studies, saying theirs was a strenuous, advanced academic struggle.
A total of 97 graduands received certificates, 48 from the junior staff college and 49 from the intelligence school.
Among the graduands were six Tanzanians, two Kenyans and two officers from the Sudanese People's Liberation Army.
The gathering also observed a moment of silence in remembrance of Capt. Wilson Rwabugabe, a staff college student, who died in a car accident on Masaka road.
Brig. Silver Kayemba, UPDF chief of operations and training, emphasised that continuous training was the only avenue to professionalise the army.
Kayemba expressed concern about the small number of female graduands. Only three lady officers graduated.
"But since we have very many women in the visitors tent, it is an indicator that next time we shall see more female graduands," he added, amid ululation from the parents and spouses.
Dick Olum, the college commandant, said the grade three staff course had lasted 16 weeks, which were divided into two terms.
He said the major challenges were transport limitation, few computers and limited study space.
"The President promised us a bus, which may cost about sh200m. Why can't we break it up into a cheaper fleet comprising a staff mini-bus, van and coaster?" Olum asked.
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