makerere strike alarming!
Dec 18, 2006
SIR— I wish to make some comments on the ongoing strike at Makerere University. The strike has paralysed and affected not only the university and its vicinity but also concerned partners outside Uganda.
SIR— I wish to make some comments on the ongoing strike at Makerere University. The strike has paralysed and affected not only the university and its vicinity but also concerned partners outside Uganda.
Recently, I was approached by a colleague at the University of Bergen here in Norway asking for more 'off-the-press' details about the strike.
This followed press reports that Makerere lecturers earn millions and therefore are probably fleecing the ignorant public by the current
strike.
This showed me that the strike is of interest not only in Uganda
but also in other countries and especially so in countries that fund
Makerere.
It was difficult for me to understand where the writer got his information from to wite his article "Makerere lecturers earn millions per month".
It was claimed in the article that that they earn as much as 20m a month! If lecturers earn that much monthly then it is more than what the lecturers at the University of Bergen earn.
I can't believe it because Makerere cannot raise that much money for its 1,094 lecturers. most likely those figures simply betray sensationalised journalism.
I have been in Makerere and I know that even the students sympathised with their lecturers because one does not need special committees to see that they are not fairly paid! I have been equally taken aback by your article, "Makerere University
lecturers paid 12 allowances" published on December 13. What makes one wonder is the way the figures fail to add up. If the 1094 teaching staff get between sh5,000,000 - 15,000,000 then the university needs a minimum of sh65b to only pay the teaching staff in a year!
It is interesting that no newspaper devoted that much research to find out how much MPs earn when they raised their pay and even asked the taxpayer to spend a whopping sh60m each for cars! In one go the MPs are asking for sh24m.
The truth is that Uganda is going down the drain if it does not recognise the importance of academics in development. Now we can conclude that all along the government claims of promoting research and science subjects was empty talk.
What else is expected of politicians! Uganda never ceases to amuse! I would like to submit that most probably the strike is dragging on simply because the government looks at it through political lenses.
In my view the strike is justifiable and the lecturers’ concern should not be ignored or politicised. Makerere is losing better brains because it pays the lowest basic salary regionally which is an insult to the many years professors take to reach that level.
I think this strike may be very decisive in the future of Makerere; it may make or break it.
Poor pay is demoraling the lecturers and many will migrate from the university.
D. Kanakulya
Norway
Recently, I was approached by a colleague at the University of Bergen here in Norway asking for more 'off-the-press' details about the strike.
This followed press reports that Makerere lecturers earn millions and therefore are probably fleecing the ignorant public by the current
strike.
This showed me that the strike is of interest not only in Uganda
but also in other countries and especially so in countries that fund
Makerere.
It was difficult for me to understand where the writer got his information from to wite his article "Makerere lecturers earn millions per month".
It was claimed in the article that that they earn as much as 20m a month! If lecturers earn that much monthly then it is more than what the lecturers at the University of Bergen earn.
I can't believe it because Makerere cannot raise that much money for its 1,094 lecturers. most likely those figures simply betray sensationalised journalism.
I have been in Makerere and I know that even the students sympathised with their lecturers because one does not need special committees to see that they are not fairly paid! I have been equally taken aback by your article, "Makerere University
lecturers paid 12 allowances" published on December 13. What makes one wonder is the way the figures fail to add up. If the 1094 teaching staff get between sh5,000,000 - 15,000,000 then the university needs a minimum of sh65b to only pay the teaching staff in a year!
It is interesting that no newspaper devoted that much research to find out how much MPs earn when they raised their pay and even asked the taxpayer to spend a whopping sh60m each for cars! In one go the MPs are asking for sh24m.
The truth is that Uganda is going down the drain if it does not recognise the importance of academics in development. Now we can conclude that all along the government claims of promoting research and science subjects was empty talk.
What else is expected of politicians! Uganda never ceases to amuse! I would like to submit that most probably the strike is dragging on simply because the government looks at it through political lenses.
In my view the strike is justifiable and the lecturers’ concern should not be ignored or politicised. Makerere is losing better brains because it pays the lowest basic salary regionally which is an insult to the many years professors take to reach that level.
I think this strike may be very decisive in the future of Makerere; it may make or break it.
Poor pay is demoraling the lecturers and many will migrate from the university.
D. Kanakulya
Norway