Overhaul MUK’s administration
Jan 13, 2009
EDITOR—A cursory survey reveals that at least one or more articles every week highlighted the problems facing Makerere University in the last year or so.
EDITOR—A cursory survey reveals that at least one or more articles every week highlighted the problems facing Makerere University in the last year or so.
Leading issues included inadequate or declining academic standards, poor financial management and human resource systems and poor maintenance culture of buildings and infrastructure.
There was also poor record keeping due to failure to apply ICT innovations for effective management. The Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) further accused the University Council of inconsistency, flouting guidelines, diverting funds for retired staff and non-payment of their benefits, as well as non-payment of staff enhancement dues.
Corruption and sloppy management styles were commonly blamed for the continued decay, of a once well-managed and highly regarded intellectual giant in the region and the whole academic world. Whilst 2008 was a relatively quiet year with fewer strikes than in preceding years, it culminated into a potentially volatile situation with one strike from a most unexpected group— Kenyan students, who brought a novel but lethal weapon by almost unleashing two deadly petrol bombs, to burn down the Main Building.
That, no doubt, brought about a rude-awakening to the university community, government, parliament, and the public, about the need to urgently pay sufficient attention to the disturbing affairs of the university. Each time, frantic efforts were made by the university administration, council, government, MUASA and others, to deal with crisis after crisis.
Now that the term of the current Vice-Chancellor is ending, Makerere is once again searching for a new one and other officials. However, it makes no sense retaining some of the long-entrenched administrators who are known to have been part and parcel of the chaos at Makerere.
They have so entrenched themselves, that nothing seems to work anymore! even their junior staff members are also known to mistreat students and the public at will. Private and post-graduate students will tell of how some of the junior staff members are not afraid to shout at or ignore them, especially in the finance department.
This writer is a ‘victim’ of non-payment of his retirement package for several years, and yet, knows that some of his contemporaries and others who retired afterwards already received their packages. One wonders why there is such ‘selective’ preferential treatment or discrimination. Other lecturers have experienced a similar fate.
The case of Professor Obone who retired way back in 1994 featured in the press over a year ago. What the University Visitor or government should consider this time, should be to cast wider the net for the new Vice-Chancellor, by going beyond Uganda’s borders.
Recruitment should be handled by a competent consultant; NOT a retired civil servant! Makerere has suffered enough of the typical, but pathetic “bureaucratic management†style.
There is no reason why, given its image as an international academic giant, that has attracted even more international students, Makerere should degenerate to the level of a local institution, when the whole management ethos should have been befitting of 21st century management style. That capacity is seriously lacking, and no number of PhDs or financial injections can do without effective managers at the helm.
Kyambogo University has already shown the way by successfully recruiting a Kenyan Vice-Chancellor. We should also take note of Prof. Mahamood Mamdani’s positive ideas on salvaging Makerere’s image.
Name withheld
Leading issues included inadequate or declining academic standards, poor financial management and human resource systems and poor maintenance culture of buildings and infrastructure.
There was also poor record keeping due to failure to apply ICT innovations for effective management. The Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) further accused the University Council of inconsistency, flouting guidelines, diverting funds for retired staff and non-payment of their benefits, as well as non-payment of staff enhancement dues.
Corruption and sloppy management styles were commonly blamed for the continued decay, of a once well-managed and highly regarded intellectual giant in the region and the whole academic world. Whilst 2008 was a relatively quiet year with fewer strikes than in preceding years, it culminated into a potentially volatile situation with one strike from a most unexpected group— Kenyan students, who brought a novel but lethal weapon by almost unleashing two deadly petrol bombs, to burn down the Main Building.
That, no doubt, brought about a rude-awakening to the university community, government, parliament, and the public, about the need to urgently pay sufficient attention to the disturbing affairs of the university. Each time, frantic efforts were made by the university administration, council, government, MUASA and others, to deal with crisis after crisis.
Now that the term of the current Vice-Chancellor is ending, Makerere is once again searching for a new one and other officials. However, it makes no sense retaining some of the long-entrenched administrators who are known to have been part and parcel of the chaos at Makerere.
They have so entrenched themselves, that nothing seems to work anymore! even their junior staff members are also known to mistreat students and the public at will. Private and post-graduate students will tell of how some of the junior staff members are not afraid to shout at or ignore them, especially in the finance department.
This writer is a ‘victim’ of non-payment of his retirement package for several years, and yet, knows that some of his contemporaries and others who retired afterwards already received their packages. One wonders why there is such ‘selective’ preferential treatment or discrimination. Other lecturers have experienced a similar fate.
The case of Professor Obone who retired way back in 1994 featured in the press over a year ago. What the University Visitor or government should consider this time, should be to cast wider the net for the new Vice-Chancellor, by going beyond Uganda’s borders.
Recruitment should be handled by a competent consultant; NOT a retired civil servant! Makerere has suffered enough of the typical, but pathetic “bureaucratic management†style.
There is no reason why, given its image as an international academic giant, that has attracted even more international students, Makerere should degenerate to the level of a local institution, when the whole management ethos should have been befitting of 21st century management style. That capacity is seriously lacking, and no number of PhDs or financial injections can do without effective managers at the helm.
Kyambogo University has already shown the way by successfully recruiting a Kenyan Vice-Chancellor. We should also take note of Prof. Mahamood Mamdani’s positive ideas on salvaging Makerere’s image.
Name withheld