Prof. Fred Masagazi Masaazi – Principal of the College of Education and External Studies (CEES), Makerere university

Prof. Fred Masagazi Masaazi, is the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies (CEES). He is an educationist and linguistic trained from Makerere University.

He holds a PhD in Language Education specializing in the Luganda language, a Master of Arts degree (Luganda language), a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) specializing in English and Luganda language teaching and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics – English and Luganda languages.

Dr. Masagazi Masaazi attended St. Aloysius Primary School, Mitala Maria Mpigi District before joining Kampala Tutorial College and Kampala High School for his ‘O’ and ‘A’ level respectively.

His manifesto as College Principal emphasized transformation of CEES into a centre of excellence in the provision of quality teacher and higher education, distance and e-learning, and education research towards informing policy related issues.

Before being elected to the coveted position of College Principal, Dr. Masaazi first served in various administrative positions in Makerere University.

He was the Dean of the School of Education from 2010 – 2012 and also served as the Head of Department of Language Education from 2002 – 2010. This laid firm ground for his final posting as the first substantive Principal of CEES.

The famous Dr. Masaazi boasts of a wealth of experience in teaching, conducting research and supervision of graduate students.

He has taught and supervised both graduate and undergraduate students in CEES and in the former Faculty of Arts (now under the College of Humanities and Social Sciences) for over 15 years.

He is one of the highly sought after External Examiners for the Luganda language and education courses for several Universities in Uganda and beyond.

Dr. Masaazi’s remarkable achievement to the Luganda teacher’s fraternity is his tireless efforts to organize the Luganda teachers into an association – Luganda Teacher’s Association; which he has presided over for three terms. This Association has about 500 Luganda teachers and is growing stronger by the day.

He continues to publish and research extensively in the Luganda language education, with six published books so far.  As an authority in the Luganda language, some of his publications like ‘Balya n’Enseekeezi; Erinnya N’Embu Zaalyo; and Mpaawo kitakya, are relied on in setting exams and also as supplementary reading materials for ‘O’ and ‘A’ level schools offering the Luganda language in Uganda. His publications are available in bookshops around the country.

Dr. Masagazi Masaazi has served on several education institution boards and committees (private and public) and also on government education bodies like, Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) where he served as Chief Examiner, Examination Setter and Moderator. He also served at the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) as a Consultant on mother tongue syllabus and as a member of the Subjects panel.

Away from academia, Dr. Masaazi is passionate about culture. He believes that culture as a defining aspect of any society, needs to be continuously harnessed in all development processes. His model is to integrate culture in the education of the country’s citizens.

“A society that does not value its culture misses out on important ways of using its cherished norms to bring unique knowledge to education and  development,” he says.

As an educationist, Dr. Masaazi has used his extensive knowledge to contribute to education in Buganda Kingdom. He has served and continues to serve in various capacities in Buganda Kingdom’s education organs for over 15 years now.

He served as a Commissioner of Education, Chairperson Buganda Education Commission, State Minister of Education and Minister of Education and Sports in the Kingdom.

He has chaired several committees in the Kingdom and has been at the helm in the organization and establishment of the Buganda Kingdom education institutions including Muteesa 1 Royal University.

He served as a member of the preparatory committee of Muteesa 1 Royal University which laid the foundation for its establishment and later as a Council Member of the same University.

He also greatly contributed to the development of Buganda Royal Institute of Business and Technical Education, one of the Kingdom’s business and vocational Institutions. He is now looking forward to the establishment of the Buganda primary teacher training institution and vocational institutions around the Kingdom.

He believes this will be a leap in the betterment of the education status, especially of the youth. Buganda Kingdom is one of the most vibrant cultural institutions in Uganda, headed by King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.

Dr. Masaazi is a God-fearing man and has served on several church committees of Kampala Archdioceses from his local church in Mpigi District to the Archdiocese level.

He is married and is a proud father too.  He is also a Rotarian, who fellowships with the Rotary Club of Rubaga.