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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kyambogo University has finally relaxed on their fee policy allowing students to continue paying till they sit for examinations.
The new development comes after a violent strike on Thursday where students protested the tuition being paid by the 12th week of the semester.
In an emergency meeting held between university management and students’ guild cabinet on Friday, the university agreed to extend the payment of fees insisting that they (students) pay fees before they sit for examinations, commencing in two-weeks’ time.
German Amanya, the out-going Kyambogo University Guild President communicated the resolutions. Amanya told URN that the student leaders and university managers agreed that students pay before start of examinations.
It was also agreed that only students who will have examination permits shall be allowed to sit for the end of semester examinations.
Following the Thursday students strike, they have insisted that this tuition policy be withdrawn. What sparked of the strike was a February 13, 2019, advisory to students by the University Bursar to pay tuition within the first six weeks of the semester, that’s between January 7 and February 17, 2019 beyond which a surcharge of Shs.5,000 in addition to the required fees would be levied.
In the circular students required to have paid all outstanding fees by the 12th week, that is by March 31, 2019 or else get a dead Semester.
This communication however angered students who took to the streets, leaving several properties including car windscreens, several glasses and louvers of several buildings at the institution shattered.
Jonathan Tundulu, the newly elected guild president insists that the fees payment guidelines issued by the institution for this semester puts majority of the students from needy backgrounds at a disadvantage.
In an interview with URN on Friday, Tundulu said while they (students) are open to engagements with the university, the management need to relax or withdraw the policy to allow students pay fees before they sit examinations.
Asked why the students vandalized property, Tundulu acknowledged the massive property destruction but wondered whether the perpetrators were students.
University Speaks Out
Prof Fabian Nabugomu, the Kyambogo University Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration says the fees policy has been in operation since 2013, when it was passed by the University Council.
He blames the students strike on the culture of politicking. Prof. Nabugomu says the underlying principal of the fees policy is that no student will be allowed to sit for exams without paying fees.
“I would like to appeal to students, sponsors their guardians, and parents that they should find fees because these are privately sponsored students and should be paid up according to the policy that they were given when they joined university so that we are able to teach, assess them and be able to run activities of the University,” Prof. Nabugomu said this afternoon.
Prof. Nabugomu says the university management is open to dialogue with students.
In a Thursday student protest, police arrested six students. Abraham Kansiime, a 3rd year student of Automotive and Power Engineering who is currently at Nsambya Hospital had his right hand shattered by fragments of the teargas canister.
Students Cautioned
Police has warned students against destruction of property and extending to neighboring Banda township. He says the police wont withdraw from the institution unless normalcy has returned.
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