Uganda, May 8 -- When the Higher Education Access Programme (HEAP), a flagship initiative targeting bright but economically constrained learners, was rolled out in 2017, its primary focus was on the girl child.

Why?

Officials from the Forum for African Women Educationalists Uganda (FAWE Uganda), the implementer of the multimillion-shilling project, this week explained why they initially concentrated more on girls before gradually extending support to boys who equally face barriers to higher education.

"FAWE mandate is girls and based on the low level of education at that time, it was necessary to target girls," Ms Susan Opok Tumusiime, the Executive Director of FAWE Uganda, said.

"FAWE also appreciates the plight of the boy child in r...