President Yoweri Museveni has called on Makerere University Business School (MUBS) and other public universities in the country to use their academic disciplines for creation of wealth.
The President made the call today at his country home in Rwakitura, Kiruhuura District in a meeting with a delegation of MUBS administration, the Academic Staff Association, the Ministries of Education and Sports, Finance and Economic Planning and Public Service. The meeting was convened to look at issues pertaining to remuneration of academic staff.
“Your academic disciplines should be used to promote the struggle to create wealth. MUBS administration should assess the market of employment for the students who graduate from the institute. You need to improve the quality of students at the institute. If you are an educationist, you must start with science for survival,” he said.
The President reminded educationists that the NRM Government policy is science led education. He, therefore, encouraged them to promote Information Communication Technology (ICT) and other science based courses. He reiterated to the meeting that there should be no limit for scientists because they will always be in demand adding that education in public universities must be mission led.
Mr. Museveni, who further reminded them to concentrate on quality, said that while there is scarcity of resources, Government would start with the remuneration of academic staff. He assured the non-academics staff that theirs would be addressed as soon as funds are available reiterating that “all staff would be catered for when the conditions improve.”
He pledged a donation of Shs.50 million to boost the MUBS Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO).
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Museveni, thanked officials of her Ministry, of Finance and Economic Planning and that of Public Service, for their cooperation to solve the challenge of remuneration of MUBS staff. She thanked the staff of MUBS for the patience as Government moves to address their remuneration challenges.
Public Service Minister, Hon. Muruli Mukasa noted that the required finances regarding MUBS’ wage bill will go a long way in addressing the challenge of remuneration at the institution.
The MUBS Principal, Prof. Waswa Balunywa, said that an allocation of Shs.25 billion in the national budget would empower the institution to utilize internally generated financial resources to handle remuneration issues.
MUBS Chairman of Academic Staff Association, Brian Mayomba saluted President Museveni for his support to the institution to address remuneration issues.