Makerere University is one academic institution with the highest concentration of intellectual brains per capita in the country, but this has not deterred it from acting outside the realm of intellectuals. As an academic hub, intellectual discourse should take precedence over riots and unending strikes, but this, unfortunately, has not been the case. The recent spate of strikes that degenerated into acrimonious riots is an addition to the long list of altercations that have bedeviled the institution for ages, yet they could have been avoided through dialogue and genuine consensus.
Trying to interrogate the cause of the recent strike reveals two glaring failures on both sides of the dichotomy: the students and administration, that have played to the emotions and gullibility of the unsuspecting public. The whining against fees hike and the mode taken to seek redress is a true manifestation of how reason and intellectual dishonesty can blend to portray Makerere in bad light.
The fees structure that has caused all this mayhem is a result of a consensus reached in the University Council that sat to scrutinize a report of the Guild special committee on Monday 2nd July 2018 that presented a report proposing a uniform and moderate 15% tuition for new students across all programs effective academic 2018/2019 for the next five years.
This was in response to the initial proposal by the administration of 49% across the board, which was rejected by the guild council.
The protestors have misrepresented this fact for obvious selfish reasons, saying that the 15% is incremental every academic year to the continuing students, which is totally wrong. A student will continue paying the same tuition that was paid at the point of admission for the rest of his course duration. The decision that the new fees structure could take place starting with the new entrants of the 2018/19 academic year doesn’t concern continuing students.
So, to see continuing students rioting yet they are not affected is a travesty of common sense. A guild council proposal was a product of a university structure that is legal and binding to all students, whoever disagrees with it should use the guild representative council (GRC) for redress. The guild is part of the university governing council that passed this policy.
The guild special committee presented the report to the chairperson of the council Eng. Dr. Charles Wana Etyem amidst applause from the vice-chancellor — Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Ag. Deputy vice-chancellor (finance & admin) Prof.William Bazeyo, deputy university secretary- Mr Yusuf Kiranda, academic registrar Mr Alfred Masikye Namoah, Mrs Jackie Ayorekire- Manager of Revenue and Grants, Mr Gordon Murangira- Personal assistant to Vice-Chancellor, Ms Naomi Kiconco-Legal Officer and Ms Ritah Namisango-Senior Public Relations Officer, Journalists from several media houses also witnessed the handover of the report.
Towards the end of the second semester for Academic Year 2017/18 (April), the university council approved increment of tuition for new students who were scheduled to join the university in the Academic Year 2018/19.
Unit of Education
It should be noted that earlier studies had indicated that the realistic unit cost of education in the humanities was proposed at UGX 6 million and UGX10 million for science based disciplines. The University council’s decision to increase tuition was further informed by the visitation committee report which had recommended to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the need for Makerere University to charge the realistic unit cost of higher education, taking into consideration of the university tuition in the region.
Among the many recommendations, the issues of constant strikes and the clamor for higher pay by the university staff had to be resolved and one of the ways of ensuring financial inflow was a critical analysis of the unit cost of each discipline that would determine the overall course cost. This invariably would lead to an upward adjustment of tuition and form a base for salary enhancement for staff.
There was also a proposal to reduce the numbers of undergraduates by creating constituent colleges in the current different public universities of Busitema, MUBs, Muni and let Makerere concentrate on postgraduate studies and research. However, this was opposed vehemently by faculties because the reduction in numbers of undergraduates who are the cash cows, would greatly undermine the percentage of the revenue each faculty generates thus affecting incomes of lecturers in the specific faculties.
The glaring question being posed is: WHY THE STRIKE NOW? Several political pundits have been quick to scratch beneath the surface. They cite the factor of university politics. Historically, the month of October is the beginning of political jostling for guild elections, so, potential candidates tend to position themselves to attract the attention of the electorate. They engage in political theatrics and schemes that can endear them to the gullible students.
However, it is also possible that national politics has a hand in these strikes. It is the opposition that has screamed loudest to amplify negatively the decisive action of querying the riots by security, intimating that the strike was “peaceful” though massive chaos and destruction of businesses around Kikoni and surrounding areas was evident. The attack on security personnel by students throwing bricks and stones and disrupting university programs had to be handled decisively.
Looking at comparative rates of tuition between Makerere and the most expensive private university; Uganda Christian University (UCU) reveals that one of the most expensive courses of Law, tuition is Shs4.6m compared to Shs2.1m at Makerere and any student who applies for it knows from the start how much to pay. Since they are private students complaining, they should appreciate that their tuition is heavily subsidized by the government. The culture of strikes in Makerere makes it look like no one talks to each other with a view of forming a common ground. Prof. Nawangwe has been criticized for high-handedness, but the conundrum arises when you talk to people who have vowed to have their way at any cost.
They have a feeling of self-entitlement that no amount of explaining can change their mind.
As a leader, hard decisions have to be made if sanity is to be restored.
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