Makerere is now online

By Gerald Businge and Fortunate Ahimbisibwe Eureka! Makerere has finally made it; the University is going online. For those of you who have been or are at Makerere, it will be hard for you to believe this. That the long queues, which are a characteristic of Makerere University during registration, getting a transcript, getting a receipt, paying in the bank, missing results; all forms of inefficiency are coming to an end with the installation of the optic fibre and wireless networks at the University. At least that’s what the University administrators are saying.The university launched its Fibre optic network on February 25, at a colourful ceremony at the University. Computer Point Limited contracted the installation of the network and Technology Consults Ltd were the consultants of the project.The computer network includes the supply and installation of 50 computers in the Faculty of Technology, 50 in the Institute of Computer Science and 40 in the Main Library. It also includes an 8km optical fibre network, which traverses the whole campus with control switches at different strategic locations. “This network provides our young generation with modern computing facilities, access to the Internet and Email and for Information Technology,” Tusubira said. “We are proud to present to Makerere University a fully functional, technically sound and resilient optic fibre network at the campus,” said P.K. Kunvilla, chairman managing director computer point. This network is expected to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of library operations, streamline financial management processes and human resource management, improve academic reporting facilities, and enable students read online literature and full text journals.“This will cater for the smooth running of the University’s programmes including proper record keeping, processing of results and issuance of transcripts,” says Dr. F.F Tusubira, the Director of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) at the University. He said that about 90% of the whole of Makerere University is now connected to an optical fibre network and both Internet and Intranet services.“The present fibre optic project is the backbone of all future IT empowerment, a secure launching pad to immense heights in information gathering, processing and sharing,” says the project manager Kumar Rajesh. He said with the launch of this network, the University will now be able to offer Computer automated Systems (CAS), student registration, examination handling and payroll. Other things include, telemetric education and internet learning tools; enhanced research and development through e-learning tools and other Internet collaboration tools; and efficient, accurate data processing that will change the way of doing things at Makerere University. “Today marks the end of the backwardness. It will no longer take ages like has been the case to get an academic transcript, it will now take a matter of minutes,” Epelu said.Tusubira said the university had earmarked $11,200,000 for the total ICT implementation. This includes skills training for end users, library information systems, academic records information systems, finance information systems, human resource information systems, email and internet access and general data communication infrastructure. Academic materials will be accessed on a number of websites with a given code/password to students. So far they include Blackwell Science: http://ww.blackwellsynergy.com. Ideal library: http://www.idealibrary.com; http://www.eadmin.epnet.com; and the UBESCO database which provides major full text journals.ends