Credit: Joel Julius Kiweewa/X
A university graduate has publicly challenged recent remarks by President Yoweri Museveni, igniting fresh debate over the value of arts and humanities courses in the country’s education system.
Joel Julius Kiweewa, a graduate of Muteesa I Royal University in Masaka, took to X (formerly Twitter) to defend his Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Social Administration (SWSA), a course the President had cited among those he considers less relevant to the job market.
In a detailed post, Kiweewa introduced himself and directly countered the narrative that such courses are “useless,” stating that his qualification has enabled him to secure employment and build a career.
“Some relatives who did the ‘prestigious’ science and law courses are still job hunting while I’m out here building my career and thriving,” he wrote, urging critics to abandon what he termed as “shallow narratives” about arts-based disciplines.
The remarks come days after President Museveni, speaking during Labour Day celebrations in Buikwe District, questioned the practicality of certain university courses, including SWSA, psychology, and procurement.
He argued that some programmes provide knowledge that does not align with labour market demands and encouraged a shift toward science and technical training.
Kiweewa, however, attributed Uganda’s unemployment crisis to systemic challenges rather than academic choices.
In his post, he pointed to issues such as corruption, nepotism, and unequal access to opportunities, arguing that these factors play a greater role in limiting employment prospects.
“The real problem is a broken system where jobs move through connections, corruption and luck before merit even gets a seat at the table,” he stated, adding that many qualified graduates remain locked out of opportunities regardless of their field of study.
He further criticised what he described as contradictions within leadership, referencing government spending and policy priorities.
According to him, leaders who advocate for abandoning arts courses have themselves been involved in costly retreats and continue to rely on external funding to sustain national development programmes.
Kiweewa also highlighted the continued relevance of social sciences, citing persistent social challenges such as poverty, gender-based violence, child neglect, and mental health issues.
He argued that professionals trained in social work play a critical role in addressing these concerns at the community level.
Beyond employment, the graduate defended the broader impact of SWSA on leadership and governance.
He revealed that his academic background contributed to his election as Guild President at his university, where he campaigned on ideas and engagement with students.
“I stood before students… and they entrusted me with the mandate to serve as Guild President,” he noted, adding that he achieved this while aligning with the ruling National Resistance Movement.
Kiweewa described it as “ironic” that leaders associated with the same political movement now appear to dismiss the value of a course that, in his view, equips graduates with essential skills in governance, community mobilisation, and policy implementation.
His response also touched on what he termed as a disconnect between policy rhetoric and practical realities.
He argued that promoting socio-economic transformation while undermining disciplines that focus on human development reflects a gap in leadership priorities.
“SWSA doesn’t just produce job seekers. It produces negotiators, mobilisers, leaders, researchers, policy thinkers and community transformers,” he wrote.