The Congregation of the Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Gulu Archdiocese (LSMIG) has all the reasons to smile and tell other institutions that apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and doing charitable work, they are also giants in the Academic World.
This is after one of their own. Reverend Sister Rosalba Aciro, the Gulu University Deputy Academic Registrar on January, Thursday 25th,2024 successfully defended her Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.) from the University Faculty of Agriculture and Environment Boardroom.
The Presence of Reverend Sister, Grace Angelina, the Mother Superior of the Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate (LSMIG) and her team from the convent to cheer up SR. Rosalba was a strong testament that the Congregation of the LSMIG had a powerful message to pass to the world about Academics.
The Research Work titled “Entry Grades and Academic Performance of Students in Public Universities in Uganda” scrutinizes the relationship between being admitted to Public Universities with high grades under the direct entry schemes which means, students who use senior six results to join the university and their performance while at the University.
The Zeal for the PhD:
Having served as Deputy Academic Registrar for 18 years now, she noticed that students who passed the Uganda Advance Certificate of Education (UACE) highly have a changing trend in academic performance when they join the University and this prompted her first concept paper on the issues by 2013 so that she could handle the bull by the horn.
With a busy work schedule on her desk, SR. Rosalba didn’t give up and pushed through all the years until she sealed the long-year wait with a powerful presentation before a panel of examiners chaired by Dr. Expedito Nuwategeka, the former Deputy Dean Faculty of Education and Humanities.
Her demonstrated bravery and knowledge of the research were vivid, as the experienced officer in the Academic Registrar’s office of Gulu University dealt with all the concerns raised by members of the public and the panel of examiners instantly.
Reverend Sister Rosalba told the Elephant, in her Sisterhood Congregation, her PhD would be the fifth when she graduates and would be encouraging to the congregation.
She appealed to all busy staff to develop resilience and keep the hope to finish their studies.
Video File one: SR Rosalba talked to the Elephant after she passed her Defence:
The Support for the PhD:
As an Administrative staff, she got support from Gulu University for half tuition and the LSMIG paid the remaining half while Building Stronger University, a Danish-funded project at Gulu University supported her for the research work.
Dr. Agatha Alidri, the Coordinator of Building Stronger University in Gulu University said the resilience exhibited by the Reverend sister is a bumper harvest since the project supported her research and study stay in Denmark.
“Sister was able to beat all odds amidst her busy schedule and complete her Ph.D. with a very relevant topic to higher Education challenge that needs scrutiny hence her work needs to be implemented and not kept on shelves”. Said Dr Agatha.
This would make two PhDs in the Academic Registrar Department of Gulu University as Dr Jerry Bagaya the head, had already joined the PhD league.
Associate Professor, Betty Akullu Ezati and Dr. David Onen Otto all of Makerere University, and Professor Openjuru, George Ladaah, the Vice-Chancellor of Gulu University supervised this Academic work.
Ends.
