A crisis at Makerere University is reportedly causing hundreds of students to drop out yearly because of sports betting.
At least 1,000 students fail to complete their courses every year, Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe has said.
“We lose at least 1,000 students who fail to complete their courses on an annual basis, and the main excuse that we get is failure to pay school fees,” said Prof. Nawangwe. “But our investigations have shown that actually these students receive the fees from their parents but prefer to invest it in betting. Many end up losing it and then go on to fabricate stories to the parents. Some even go to the extent of inviting one’s parent to graduation ceremonies when one’s name is not in the graduation list.”
The Attraction and Dangers of Sports Betting
Sports betting shops have opened in and around Makerere University, drawing the attention of the young population that is blinded by riches in the shortest time possible. According to an EPRC study, good numbers of youths are involved in gambling with little money, thereby straining or resulting in criminal activities to recoup from gambling losses.
High unemployment levels in Uganda make an already bad situation worse, especially when many youths hope that betting may provide a way to get out of unemployment. This mostly leads to a vicious cycle of indebtedness and disappointment.
Calls for Stricter Regulations
Experts are now calling for stricter regulations to protect vulnerable youth from the dangers of sports betting. Targeting young people, the booming betting industry needs measures that can reduce the negative impact on students and their futures.
Prudential Assurance Uganda Recognition Event
Speaking at the best performing Bachelor of Science (Actuarial Studies) students sponsored by Prudential Assurance Uganda, Prof. Nawangwe said that, “The ceremony was one of the ways of recognizing the best performing students, but also followed the growing concern by several managers on how betting was having a heavy toll on academics and students at the institution.”
Conclusion
This now raises a critical issue that needs timely attention: the extent to which sports betting influences the students of Makerere University. The attraction to easy money registers multitudes who turn out to be losers in the long-run vis-à-vis academic failure and insolvency. It is important that stakeholders such as educational institutions and regulatory bodies come on board to make decisive closures intended at safeguarding the future of Uganda’s youth.
