Mak to accommodate non-resident finalists at UGX 145,000

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   Non-resident finalist at Makerere University will have to part with 145,000 Shillings to secure space in university halls as studies resume. This is part of the changes made by the university management reversing an earlier decision to call four halls of residence.   

The university had initially resolved to close Complex, Livingstone, Lumumba, Mitchell halls and off-campus Kabanyoro student’s hostel as one of the means to ensure the security of students, resources and proper enforcement of the Standard Operating Procedures.  

However, Cyriaco Kabagembe, the Dean of Students Makerere University, says according to the new changes, all halls of residence will remain operational. He says resident students will return to their halls of residence. According to Kabagembe on reopening, wardens will first allocate space to the resident student.  

“Wardens will ensure single occupancy room allocation to the residence,” the Dean’s communication to students reads. Adding that “after allocating space to residents, the remaining space will be available for nonresidential finalists, both government and private, who may wish to stay in the halls.”

Kabagembe says that for non- resident finalists to be allocated space, they are required to send their application to the wardens of the halls they are attached to. The development has brought smiles to the face of some finalists, saying this will save them from the high fees they have been paying in private hostels. 

Marion Kirabo, a 4th-year Law Student notes that several hostel operators have been asking students to pay money for a full semester yet they will be spending a few weeks. 

However, a section of students says that the university might have overcharged them.  Davis Buwembo says that resident students pay Shillings 320,000 for an entire semester. “The idea is good since there is unoccupied space but the charges are a bit high. This is almost half of what students pay for the whole semester yet we will here for a short period,” said Buwembo.

A total of 11,000 final year students offering different programmes are expected to report at the university to complete their studies after the six month’s break resulting from COVID-19 lockdown.  Before the lockdown, only 1,180 finalists were residents in university halls of residence. 

Besides the medical students who reported on October 3, others will be expected to report on October 17, 2020.

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URN