The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kyambogo University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Eli Katunguka has requested government to consider increasing its funding to a tune of Shillings 57 billion. According to Professor Katunguka, the funding is urgently needed to enable the university to carry out its core mandate.
He was speaking to President Yoweri Museveni at the commencement of 16th graduation ceremony of Kyambogo University in Banda, Kampala. A total 8,892 students are expected to graduate this week with certificates, diplomas, bachelors, masters and PhDs.
On Wednesday, 223 students graduated from the graduate school, 1,601 from School of Management and Entrepreneurship and 347 from the faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation. The graduation will run for three days.
Among the financial needs, Kyambogo says it requires Shs 10 billion to cover employee costs, Shs 14 billion to cover costs of teaching, Shs 3 billion for research, Shs. 3 billion to recruit and sustain technicians and Shs 15 billion for improving critical laboratory infrastructure and sewage system.
“Your Excellency, despite numerous achievements, the university still faces a number of challenges, one is under staffing. The university largely depends on part-time lecturers. We employ close to 820 part-time lecturers. In order to be able to recruit more people to bring to the establishment set up in 2005 to at least 50%, your excellency we will need government intervention of about 10 billion shillings,” Professor Katunguka said.
He explained that due to the large number of part-timers and contribution to top-up to the wage-bill, the university will need about Shillings 14 billion to cover the cost of teaching, which includes the top-up from fees, the university pays to government for staff salaries.
In his speech, Professor Katunguka said the university has expanded to a student population of 33,200 on campus and more than 45,000 in affiliated institutions including seven National Teachers Colleges (NTCs), 67 Primary Teachers Colleges and 49 Early Child Development Centers across the country.
He said the institution requires adequate funding for this commensurate expansion. President Museveni on the other hand praised Kyambogo University for finally waking up from slumber and focusing on innovations. He re-echoed his disgust for social science courses and urged the institution to focus on science and entrepreneurial related courses.
He hailed parents and guardians for supporting their children through attainment of university education and urged the graduands to create their own jobs since there are no jobs in civil services.
The president also praised management for stabilizing the university. He warned students and staff against strikes, arguing that a university is an address for civilization, intellectuals and not riots.
Today, two students Micheal Bamuwamye and Samuel Gafuma graduated with Doctor of Philosophy (PhDs) of Food Technology. George William Kasaazi, a student of Bachelor of Information Technology and Computing emerged the overall best performing student with CGPA of 4.88 out of 5 while Bernadette Nakintu and Joan Kizza emerged the best female students of Bachelor of Information Systems with CGPA of 4.83.
Higher Education Minister, John Chrysestom Muyingo tasked all institutions of higher learning to put in place credible quality assurance systems to ensure quality graduate.
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