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KAMPALA - Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund, (MAK-RIF) is planning to blacklist all university projects which fail to account for funds, and also meet deadlines.

According to the Chairman of the Grants Management Committee at MakRif, Prof Fred Masagazi, though dissemination is one of the accountability activities, some people don’t want to disseminate because their work is not good.

“People are given funds, but they are not doing the work.  People have been given funds to pay researchers via mobile money but have not paid them. We have submitted several cases to the management of people who are not paying researchers,” disclosed Masagazi.

He issued the warning during the dissemination workshop for the Comprehensive Evaluation of Graduate Blended Learning two project findings held at Makerere University.

With funding from the government, under the Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund, (MAK-RIF), CEBL two advocates for learner-centeredness, promotes interaction, flexibility, and inclusivity, and increases teaching and learning.

Prof Fred Masagazi (L) interacts with Prof. Umar Kakumba (R) during the dissemination of the project findings for the Comprehensive Evaluation of Graduate Blended Learning at Makerere University on May 6, 2024. (All Photos by Juliet Kasirye)

“These days, we are blacklisting projects that have crossed the deadline.  Some have unsanctioned extensions, and others lack close-out reports and dissemination plans. This is a serious challenge and will affect many projects in the future,” revealed Masagazi.

According to Masagazi, they have several projects which have not concluded. They don’t have the reports, plans, or any formal request that a project requires an extension.

Masagazi noted: “If you are a project investigator of a certain project when you get into challenges, please apply for an extension formally. Write to the Grant Management committee through the coordinator Research and Innovation Fund, (RIF) because these are areas where auditors focus.”

For instance, he said, if you had 250 projects for the College of Education, and 200 have not completed, notify the GMC why this is happening. Disclosing that, if it is an international project, and you don’t meet the deadline, they withdraw the funding.

For instance, Masagazi disclosed that the “European Union withdrew a lot of money funding Makerere University projects.  We have been trying to pay the money, and when you apply for an EU project now, they will say Makerere has the money.  Meaning, we have not accounted for the money which was sent to Makerere University.”

About the comprehensive evaluation of the graduate training blended learning uptake project, Masagazi said, it is a continuing unique project that responds to the new thinking and approach of blended pedagogy of Makerere University.

He urged university dons to take accountability seriously and have reporting as an important activity of any project and a plan for dissemination.

 “Dissemination is one area where you can make value for money reports. The government has given us money, where is the value of that money,” asked Masagazi.

About the comprehensive evaluation of the graduate training blended learning uptake project, Masagazi said, it is a continuing unique project that responds to the new thinking and approach of blended pedagogy of Makerere University.

“GMC was selected to fund this project because it has a big impact on teaching and learning. This is an evaluation process that points to gaps and how to improve the process. let’s have an evaluation of projects in the College of Education. Do these projects respond to the contemporary issues in education? For instance, I don’t see projects under the competence-based Curriculum,” Masagazi advised dons from the College of Education.

During the presentation of CEBL project findings, the project investigator at the Institute of Open, Distance and eLearning - Makerere University, Arthur Mugisha revealed that blended learning at the graduate level is still a myth unlike at the undergraduate level.

“Graduate students observed that Zoom is mistaken to mean blended learning by some staff. The feedback from students is that Zoom should be abolished, they suggest that Virtual learning should have all content online and students should be able to navigate on the learning management system, (LMS) while the lecturer provides guidance.” Mugisha stated.

According to him, when preparing the curriculum, they plan to teach both physically and virtually, the challenge is that people think Zoom is blended learning which is not true.

Mugisha recommended that “the national blended learning policy framework and guidelines will go a long way in ensuring quality digital teaching and learning across Higher Education Institutions is accepted globally.”