April 23, 2026 | Makerere University | As prepared for delivery<\/p>\n
Thank you, Vice Chancellor, distinguished faculty, Professor Nokes, Dr. Nakabugo, honored guests, and students of Makerere University.<\/p>\n
It is a privilege once again to stand before you at this historic institution\u2014 a beacon of academic excellence for over a century. \u00a0An institution I have been honored to engage with countless times over the last nearly three years.<\/p>\n
![\"Kajubi-Fulbright](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Kajubi-Fulbright-Lecture-pic2.jpg\")
As my time in Uganda comes to a close, it is particularly meaningful to be here today for the Annual Kajubi-Fulbright Lecture as we celebrate two legacies that remind us why education matters: the transformative power of international exchange embodied by Senator J. William Fulbright, and the visionary leadership of Professor William Senteza Kajubi, who showed us that education reform can change the trajectory of a nation.<\/p>\n
It is likely no coincidence that both their first names were \u201cWilliam.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 1952, when Professor Kajubi became the first African scholar to receive a Fulbright scholarship, he didn\u2019t just cross an ocean\u2014he bridged worlds. He brought back not only knowledge, but a vision for what Ugandan education could become.<\/p>\n
As Vice Chancellor of this university twice and as an architect of Uganda\u2019s education curriculum, Professor Kajubi understood something fundamental: education is not merely about transmitting information. It\u2019s about unlocking human potential.<\/p>\n
Professor Kajubi believed that education policy must serve students\u2014the young people sitting in classrooms who represent their families\u2019 hopes and their nation\u2019s future. This year\u2019s theme, \u201cEducation Policy Reform as an Enabler of Student Success,\u201d honors that belief.<\/p>\n
Education is the most powerful tool for social mobility that humanity has ever created. It doesn\u2019t matter where you\u2019re born, who your parents are, or what resources your family has\u2014education can change your life\u2019s trajectory. It\u2019s true in America and in Uganda, where talented young people are transforming their communities through knowledge and skill.<\/p>\n
But education\u2019s power extends beyond individual success. It drives economic development. Nations that invest wisely in education\u2014that connect learning to the real needs of their economies\u2014create prosperity. They build industries. They attract investment. They compete globally.<\/p>\n
The question before us is: How do we ensure that education delivers on this promise? How do we make certain that every student who walks through a classroom door walks out prepared not just for today\u2019s world, but for tomorrow\u2019s opportunities?<\/p>\n
At the core of the answer, we must connect education to the needs of tomorrow\u2019s workforce while preserving what makes education truly valuable: the ability to think critically, to analyze complex problems, to adapt to change.<\/p>\n
![\"Kajubi-Fulbright](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Kajubi-Fulbright-Lecture-pic1.jpg\")
This is not an either-or proposition. We don\u2019t have to choose between teaching students to think and teaching them to work. The best education does both. It equips students with technical skills that employers need while developing their capacity for independent thought, creativity, and problem-solving.<\/p>\n
Uganda\u2019s economy is evolving. Technology is transforming industries. New opportunities are emerging in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and services. Your students need to be ready\u2014not just for the jobs that exist today, but for careers that haven\u2019t even been invented yet. That requires education systems that are nimble, responsive, and connected to the real world.<\/p>\n
It also requires something else: a commitment to excellence and accountability. We must measure what matters. Are students learning? Are they gaining skills? Are they prepared for success?<\/p>\n
Dr. Nakabugo\u2019s work with Uwezo Uganda exemplifies this commitment to understanding what\u2019s happening in classrooms and using that knowledge to drive improvement.<\/p>\n
This brings me back to the Fulbright Program and why international exchange matters more than ever.<\/p>\n
The Fulbright program was founded on a simple but profound idea: that mutual understanding between peoples leads to a more peaceful and prosperous world.<\/p>\n
When Professor Nokes comes to Uganda as a Fulbright Scholar, he doesn\u2019t just share American expertise\u2014he learns from Ugandans as well. When Ugandan scholars travel to the United States, they don\u2019t just absorb American methods\u2014they bring Ugandan perspectives that enrich our institutions.<\/p>\n
This exchange of ideas and knowledge makes both our nations stronger. It creates networks of collaboration that last lifetimes.<\/p>\n
As America celebrates its 250th anniversary this year, we\u2019re reflecting on the values that have defined our nation\u2014including our belief in education as the foundation of opportunity and our commitment to engaging with the world through knowledge and exchange. Our 250th anniversary reminds us that America\u2019s story has always been enriched by global partnerships and the exchange of ideas across borders.<\/p>\n
America remains committed to partnerships that deliver mutual benefit\u2014that make both nations stronger, more prosperous, and more secure. The Fulbright program embodies this principle.<\/p>\n
So let me close with a challenge\u2014to the students in this room, to the faculty, to policymakers, and to all of us who care about education\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
To students: Take your education seriously. Not because someone tells you to, but because it\u2019s your pathway to the life you want to build. Ask questions. Think critically.\u00a0 And remember that with the privilege of education comes responsibility: to use your knowledge to serve others, to lift up your communities, to build a better Uganda.<\/p>\n
To educators and policymakers: Don\u2019t settle for systems that aren\u2019t working. Measure outcomes honestly. Connect education to economic opportunity. But never lose sight of education\u2019s higher purpose: to develop not just skilled workers, but thoughtful citizens who can lead their nation forward.<\/p>\n
To all of us: Let\u2019s honor the legacies of Senator Fulbright and Professor Kajubi, not just with words, but with action. Professor Kajubi proved that one person, armed with education and vision, can transform a country\u2019s future. Senator Fulbright\u2019s vision for international education has had a lasting positive impact as it continues to build bridges between nations and cultures, fostering mutual understanding and cooperation around the world.<\/p>\n
Thank you for the honor of addressing you today and for being a strong partner to the United States.<\/p>\n
Thank you for your commitment to education.<\/p>\n
And thank you for carrying forward the legacy of excellence that Professor Kajubi and Senator Fulbright began and that Makerere University continues.<\/p>\n
My hope is that we never stop believing in the transformative power of education to change lives and shape nations. And that our shared commitment to education and global exchange between the United States and Uganda create opportunities for generations to come.<\/p>\n
Thank you and God Bless.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"April 23, 2026 | Makerere University | As prepared for delivery Thank you, Vice Chancellor, distinguished faculty, Professor…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":202646,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[58],"tags":[1143,103473,21661,31435,153,97631],"class_list":["post-202645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-uganda","tag-education","tag-kajubi-fulbright-lecture","tag-makerere-university","tag-u-s-uganda","tag-uganda","tag-william-w-popp"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@africa\/116458598417134593","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/202646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}