By Vision Reporter  
                                                 
Makerere University has asked Government to lift the ban on recruitment of staff to enable them solve the staff shortage.

Addressing the university’s 63rd graduation ceremony Tuesday, Chancellor Prof. Mondo Kagonyera revealed that the university was operating at less than 50% staff structure “which is unacceptable.”

 Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof. Ddumba Ssentamu revealed that the total number of academic staff at the institution had remained static at 1400 for over six years despite the skyrocketing student enrollment.

Ddumba said that staff shortage had bogged down the university’s academic standards and affected the quality of graduates.

Kagonyera asked the ministries of finance and education to consider increasing funding for Makerere in the next financial year enable the university recruit more staff.

A total of 12,555 graduands will graduate during this year’s four-day graduation ceremony. Of these, 47.1% are female and 52.9% are male.

The university is awarding 61 PhDs this year, majority (82%) of which, are male.  

Key among the granduands was Police commissioner for Public Relations Judith Nabakooba who graduated with a Master of Arts in human rights and education minister Maj. Jessica Alupo who got Masters in international relations.

Minister without portfolio Richard Todwong, Uganda’s ambassador to DRC James Kinobe, and UPDF’s Maj. Flavia Byekwanso also graduated with masters degrees.

The university also passed out the pioneer class of a postgraduate diploma in investigative journalism, a special donor-funded programme that aims at enhancing the quality of journalism in the country.

New Vision reporters Francis Kagolo, Chris Kiwawulo and John Masaba as well as assistant news editor Sidney Miria were among the 20-man pioneer investigative journalism class.