Unemployment: students drop out of technical institutes to join army

Technical institutes in Tororo district are experiencing a significant student dropout rate as many learners abandon their studies to join the armed forces.

According to Denis Mwesigwa Sserwanja, chief head trainer at Tororo Technical Institute, dozens of students leave their courses every time the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) or Uganda Police Force announce a recruitment drive.

He noted that this year alone, the institute has lost over 50 students to these recruitment exercises. Sserwanja explained that a combination of factors drives the trend, including the “perceived prestige and potential for financial stability associated with a military career.”

He added that some students who enroll in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) under pressure see the military as an easy way out. In contrast, genuinely passionate students facing financial hardships often return to their studies after a temporary break.

Denis Sserwanja speaks on the student dropouts

The UPDF has been conducting a nationwide recruitment exercise for both regular forces and professionals. Regular forces require a Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and an age between 18 and 22, while professionals are recruited from specialized fields, including technical trades.

Many students at the institute reportedly request permission to leave for personal reasons but never return. Others are more direct and inform the administration of their decision to drop out.

Sserwanja expressed his sadness that some students quit just as final assessments for the term were about to begin, meaning they missed the opportunity to earn certification for the modules they had already completed.

Fred Wafula, an instructor at the institute, attributes the trend to recent reforms in technical education, specifically the modular system introduced by the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB). The system allows students to receive a certificate for each completed module.

“Many learners now come, do one or two modules, and leave once recruitment opens,” he explained.

Wafula noted that these partial certifications allow them to join specialised military units, such as the engineering brigade. Wafula also said that some of those who are recruited later return to continue their TVET studies to upgrade their qualifications while in uniform.

Instructor Fred Wafula speaks about the army recruitment

Other instructors interviewed pointed to deeper issues behind the dropout trend, highlighting that military and police jobs are perceived as more stable compared to the uncertain job market for technical graduates.

In rural districts like Tororo, where youth unemployment is high and many families struggle with tuition fees, a government-funded career in the armed forces is seen as an attractive and stable alternative