Lecturers quit over poor pay

Nov 27, 2011

PUBLIC universities in Uganda are witnessing a mass exodus of lecturers and professors in the recent past.

 

By Conan Businge

PUBLIC universities in Uganda are witnessing a mass exodus of lecturers and professors in the recent past, a move that is believed to be fuelled by low pay. 

Makerere, Mbarara, Kyambogo and Gulu universities are all badly affected. Since last year, Makerere University has lost 25 high-profile lecturers. As a result, some of the academic programmes have been closed, such as the master of journalism and communication as well as the PhD in education management and administration. Many departments are relying on junior staff after the exit of their senior colleagues.

Mbarara University of Science and Technology has lost at least 20 lecturers who left for greener pastures this year alone, and another six have notified the administration that they are leaving at the end of next month.

Gulu University loses over 10 senior lecturers every academic year, according to its management.

One of the most hit departments at Makerere is that of mass communication. Three successive heads of department have resigned to go for greener pastures. Dr. George Lugalambi, who replaced Dr. Peter Mwesige in 2008, left early this year. Associate Professor Monica Chibita, who replaced Lugalambi, is moving to another university.

Makerere has lately lost top dons like Dr. Gyaviira Taban-Wani, Prof. John M. Kasenene, Dr. Jose Ghislain Quenum, Dr. Isyagi Micongora, Dr. Esther Mayambala Kisakye, Dr. George W. Kivumbi and Dr. Denis Byamukama. Others are Dr. G.W. Pariyo, Dr. Japheth Emmanuel and Dr. Moses Ebuk.

According to sources in Makerere University, on average, two to four resignation letters are received at every meeting of the appointments board.

Makerere vice-chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba and his counterpart at Gulu University, Prof. Nyeko Pen-Mogi, say the trend should be reversed by improving lecturers’ pay and working conditions as well as increasing research funding. 

Their argument is strengthened by the fact that at Makerere, departments that have research projects are better at retaining staff because lecturers get allowances from these projects and get more professional satisfaction by engaging in research.

The state minister for higher education, Dr. John Muyingo, appeals to lecturers to be patient. “The Government is committed to improving the lecturers’ welfare,” he says.

He, however, adds that there is no cause for alarm since the attrition is not very high and most of them go to private universities within Uganda. He explains that liberalisation of university education has led to an increase in the demand for lecturers in private universities.

“The ideal situation for any employer, including the Government, is that you retain all your employees. However, the reality is that staff, in any institution, are always on the look out for better terms and greener pastures,” Muyingo adds.

 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});