The just concluded Makerere University71st graduation ceremony saw a number of students who struggled their way to graduation and Dr. Fredrick Ssegirinya, a Police officer working with Uganda Police was among them.
Ssegirinya, who graduated with a PhD in Curriculum revealed that he used to slash people’s compounds and fetch water to raise tuition. According to Ssegirinya, he was a school dependant right from P.3 where he could work at school and people’s homes in exchange for fees.
“I used to slash school compounds and do other jobs to raise school fees. I could also fetch water and firewood for various reverends, and cut grass for people laying bricks to get extra money throughout my primary education,” he revealed.
The fresh Makerere graduate now joins other four officers with PhDs in Uganda Police. Other officers with PhDS include; Dr John Kamya, the commissioner for human rights, who is currently heading the National Police College; Dr Francis Okello, an assistant commissioner of police; Dr Joseph Tukei Okwandi, the chief investigator in counterterrorism; and Dr Ian Karusigarira, who holds a PhD in humanities.
While narrating his story to Daily Monitor , a local newspaper, Dr Ssegirinya said he completed Primary Seven from St Muganga Primary School in Nkozi, Mpigi District, where he attained a first grade before joining St Mary’s Secondary School in the same area for both Ordinary and Advanced levels.
Dr. Ssegirinya, who joined police at the level of a cadet further revealed that he attained 17 points at Senior Six and got a government scholarship to study Bachelor of Education at Makerere University.
“After joining the police, I did not give up studying, so I went back for a Master’s Degree in Education at Ndejje University. At this level, the burden of raising school fees was not much because I was able to attain several loans, which I am still paying back. Police sponsored my research though,” Dr Ssegirinya narrated further.
