AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IMPLEMENTATION AND ACCESS TO UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN HOIMA DISTRICT, UGANDA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64792/w5yhsv53Keywords:
Equal employment opportunities, access to university education, affirmative action, marginalized groups, Hoima DistrictAbstract
The study examined the relationship between affirmative action implementation and access to university education in Hoima District. Specifically, the study assessed the relationship between equal employment opportunities, inclusivity, and targeted programs on access to university education. The study was guided by a correlational research design and adopted a mixed-methods approach combining both quantitative and qualitative methods. A sample of 169 respondents was selected from a population of 300, including university students, academic staff, district education officials, local government leaders, and NGO representatives. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, and documentary review and analyzed using SPSS and thematic analysis.
The findings revealed that access to university education in Hoima District is generally low and characterized by inequalities. Descriptive results showed that respondents largely disagreed with statements related to enrollment, completion rates, infrastructure adequacy, and support for vulnerable groups. Correlation analysis indicated strong positive relationships between all study variables and access to university education: equal opportunities (r = 0.78), inclusivity (r = 0.81), and targeted programs (r = 0.76), all statistically significant at p < 0.01. Regression results further confirmed that inclusivity had the strongest influence on access, followed by equal opportunities and targeted programs. Qualitative findings supported these results, highlighting challenges such as inadequate funding, weak implementation of policies, limited infrastructure, and insufficient support for disadvantaged students.
The study concluded that although affirmative action policies exist, their implementation remains weak, resulting in limited access to university education. It recommends strengthening inclusivity measures, improving equal opportunity frameworks, expanding targeted programs, and enhancing monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure equitable access to university education in Hoima District.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Susan Kusemererwa, Dr. Doreen Akunda, Edmand Bakashaba (Author)
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