Lira, Uganda | The Office of the Lango Paramount Chief, Eng. Dr. Moses Michael Odongo Okune, has embarked on an initiative to compile a database of highly educated sons and daughters of Lango, particularly those who hold Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, in a bid to inspire the younger generation and support the transformation of the subregion.
The initiative was revealed by the Minister for Education and Sports under Tekwaro A’Lango, George Ojwang Opota, who said the cultural institution has started gathering information about Lango professionals who have attained the highest academic qualifications.
Ojwang said the move is intended to strengthen coordination between the cultural institution and scholars from the subregion so that their expertise can be harnessed to promote development and motivate young people to pursue higher education.
According to preliminary information from his office, about 185 people from Lango have attained PhDs, with many serving as lecturers in universities and other higher learning institutions, while others are working in different sectors both within and outside Uganda.
He noted that bringing these professionals together will help the institution tap into their knowledge and experience to guide the subregion in areas such as education, research, and socio-economic transformation.
Ojwang also cited education statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), indicating that Lango ranks fourth among ethnic communities in Uganda in terms of educational attainment, behind the Baganda, Banyankole and Basoga.
He urged parents across Lango to prioritise educating their children, emphasising that education remains the most reliable path to development and social transformation.
Preliminary findings from the 2024 National Population and Housing Census by Uganda Bureau of Statistics show that Uganda’s national literacy rate stands at 74% among persons aged 10 years and above who can read and write.
Although UBOS has not yet released a detailed ranking of tribes by education level in the 2024 census, historical trends indicate that Central and Western Uganda generally record higher educational outcomes compared to some parts of Northern and Eastern Uganda.
The Lango cultural institution believes that identifying and mobilising highly educated professionals from the subregion will help strengthen mentorship programmes, promote academic excellence and contribute to long-term development in Lango.
This is quite encouraging to read, I suggest that LCI also profile the PhD names by districts.
Again it’s also important to compile and add details of those with masters degrees to motivate and give full statistics of our education journey
Big up
Thank you team🙏