PRAYER TO ALLOW PRIVATE STUDENTS SIT EXAMS

MAKERERE       UNIVERSITY              

                                                                                            P.O. BOX 7062 Kampala

21^st December 2011

The Vice Chancellor, Makerere University

Professor   Venansius Baryamureba,

Dear Sir,

RE: PRAYER TO ALLOW PRIVATE STUDENTS SIT EXAMS

We humbly pray that students who have not finished paying their tuition but are duly registered students meaning they have paid at least sixty per cent of the fees be allowed to sit their exams. We make this request after witnessing cries from very many students some of whom are too dear to us and vulnerable in case they don’t sit the exams. Their failure to clear is attributable to the current economic down turn and the excruciating poverty among many Ugandans – peasants and the working class alike for we have many working poor but also largely because of the heartless tuition hike since 2009. At least we are sure that many students who have managed to pay 60% of the dues would have completed their dues had it not for the hike.  

Mr. Vice Chancellor, you need to know that quite a number of students including the very brilliant have dropped out due to exorbitant fees by Ugandan standards and this doesn’t augur well for a university whose motto is “We build for the future”. But also, this ultimately frustrates the efforts of the university administration and academic staff under your able leadership that is working tooth and nail to ensure that the university regains its past glory. Mr Vice Chancellor Sir, you have in your own words categorically stated that Makerere University fees are too high for an ordinary Ugandan during the Guild Session held in Africa Hall. Accordingly, you will understand our challenge and the quest for our prayer.

Mr Vice Chancellor, Makerere University is a public university which according to section 2 of the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act means a University established by the state and maintained under public funds. Accordingly, Makerere University is not a commercial enterprise and as such it must not frustrate the future of this country by denying students who have paid a substantial part of their dues and whose parents/guardians are committed to finishing their dues an opportunity to sit exams. Indeed, commercialization of the University is what Professor Mamdani decries in his book “Scholars in the Market Place”.

This request is buttressed by the fact that State House sponsored students have since time immemorial sat exams even when the State House has not cleared their dues. The irony is that the state house sponsored students are sponsored by taxpayers’ money including but not limited to other students’ parents, neighbours and relatives. This undermines both equality and non-discrimination which is not only illegal but morally repugnant.

Hence, allowing all registered students sit their exams will mean that the University Administration is ready to ensure equality, non-discrimination and human dignity which key principles of human rights enshrined in our constitution and all core human rights instruments.

We have been impelled to make this formal prayer to nip the looming strike in the bud that students have been hatching in regard to the aforementioned issues. At least we are sure that the demands that we are making are within your means to meet. Finally, while students are reading for exams, they are being psychologically tortured by the real possibility of failure to raise fees. This leaves students shattered.

As we build for the future.

Yours

1.       Vincent Nuwagaba , Human Rights Defender, Alumnus Makerere University

Sign……………………………………………………….

Email: vnuwagaba@gmail.com, cell +256712843552

2.       Bwete Archilles, LLB III, GRC, Representative School of Law, Makerere University Private Students’ Association, National Youth Chairman,Patriots Uganda

Sign ……………………………………………………….

Cell: +256702264811, email: abwete@law.mak.ac.ug

CC: DVC Academic Affairs, Makerere University

CC: Academic Registrar, Makerere University

CC:  Dean of Students, Makerere University

CC: President, Makerere Students Guild

CC: Chairman, Makerere University Convocation

CC: LC5 Councillor, Makerere University