Earlier this week, a student identified as Julius Osuta was reported missing from his hostel around Kyambogo University.
It is said that Osuta had staked part of his tuition totaling to UGX 620, 000 into betting hoping to get more money to meet his needs.
Few days after his disappearance, Osuta was found by police which later handed him over to his parents.
“Julius Osuta, a Kyambogo University Student who went missing on the 7th of this month was yesterday found by Police officers around Arua Park Kampala and handed over to Jinja Road Police. The officers will today hand him over to his parents. Osuta says he run away from school because of stress after he lost tuition fees in sports betting. We have urged his parents to extend psychosocial support to him immediately,” Luke Owoyesigire Kampala Metropolitan spokesperson said.
As Osuta is trying to get psychological support from friends and family, a student from Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mbale campus has come out to mention the loopholes in the education sector that result into students risking their tuition into betting hoping to get quick returns.
The UCU student had this to share;
A lot happens in this country. The media houses enjoy to report as the stakeholders find comfort in their AC rooms. There’s aching stuff in this sweet state.
I’ve extremely interested myself in following the story of a one Julius Osuta of Kyambogo University who went missing after ‘playing around’ with his tuition. Is he to blame anyway, to what extent?
I appreciate that the media has bright his fate to our eyes albeit we have we can hardly have an eye beyond the matter. Looking at how this little lad wasted the 620,000 shillings, in betting!
For the over twenty years (projected figure) one spends in school, our education system can’t display him/her to a better earning other than betting? It’s a shame, an utter shame. It’s a shame not for the victims but for whoever is mandated to design a better education system.
Today everyone is looking at Julius Osuta, but how many more university students are in this kind of dilemma? Only that the media can’t cast all but you would ponder what a hell it is.
It’s more aching that even as early as primary level, the pupils are into this betting headache. Yes! I’ve seen a couple of them, I studied with a few about 8 years ago.
I’ve seen the government develop several wealth programs for the youth, can’t we have a particular one(s) intended for university students? Yes, we give them scholarships but they come out into a den of unemployment; What if we backed up the scholarships with innovative support for them? They have the brains of innovation but the support has been not anywhere, not anywhere.
The student leaders in several universities through the Uganda National Students’ Association ought to advocate for this alongside the scholarships.
The students can access the grants for wealth projects through their different associations in the universities in case we pushed for this.
That aside, it’s a humble imploration that the media houses and social media cease highlighting Osuta’s plight. The lad needs mental healing. Those close to him should take up the guidance and counseling role.
His parents and guardians should receive him in joy you remember the parable of the Prodigal son?
(The views and opinion shared are for a first year student of English & Lit in English at Uganda Christian University—Mbale University College)
