Students’ future bleak as MUBS, Makerere fight

Aug 14, 2007

THINK of the fear, the anxiety that you might be discontinued anytime. Perhaps better; imagine pursuing a four-year course, and at end of that high scale, nobody recognises you as a graduate. It would be wasted time and money.

By Carol Natukunda

THINK of the fear, the anxiety that you might be discontinued anytime. Perhaps better; imagine pursuing a four-year course, and at end of that high scale, nobody recognises you as a graduate. It would be wasted time and money.

These are but some of the silent feelings shared by over 3,000 students who were admitted on programmes advertised by Makerere University Business School (MUBS). There is nothing that chills the mind of a student like enrolling to study in a school that they are unsure of.

While the future of the 3,000 students hangs in the balance and Cabinet has pronounced that MUBS is not a university, thousands of students over the weekend, still thronged the Nakawa-based school to register.

Although state minister for higher education Gabriel Opio described MUBS’ actions as illegal, the school’s public relations officer, Martha Abeja remained firm, saying: “We know our programme will have to work out.”

This state of affairs has left students in a dilemma.

“I am confused,” Stella confesses, “I don’t know whether I should go ahead and do the course they have given me.”

“I am afraid, yet at the same time, I feel it is too late to go to another university,” another student and reminds Education Vision that the 2007/08 academic year for most tertiary institutions commenced a week ago.

These students are the first to be taken in by MUBS since it was declared a so-called independent university. Previously, MUBS had been admitting and graduating only students from Makerere University. MUBS only admitted and graduated diploma and certificate students.

History of the conflict
The conflict first started in 1998, but escalated in July 2006, after a Bachelor of Commerce student, Alex Atuhaire, was expelled from Makerere but was re-admitted by MUBS. When Makerere found this out, they blocked Atuhaire’s graduation.

That is when High Court Judge, Okumu Wengi (now suspended), ruled that MUBS should be independent. Since then, the Nakawa-based school has installed a vice-chancellor and unveiled its own logo and flag. It also recommended a chancellor to be appointed by President Yoweri Museveni.

Makerere University moved immediately and obtained an interim order and let alone an appeal, staying the execution and enforcement of Wengi’s ruling. Yet, as though nothing had happened, MUBS went ahead and advertised its own courses, as an independent university.

So the question arises: Why didn’t somebody come out to stop MUBS from admitting these innocent university hopefuls? Where was the Ministry of Education or the National Council for Higher Education — the overall watchdog — when these poor students were being taken advantage of?

“This is an unfortunate culture where people don’t obey the law,” says Yeko Acato, the assistant executive director of the council. “Our position has always been that MUBS is not independent.”

Pressed further why it did not act on admissions, Acato displays a statement titled “Be warned, MUBS is not a university,” which was published on June 23 2007 in The New Vision by the deputy executive director, Prof. Michel Lejeune.

“We wrote articles in the media after they had advertised for applications. We warned that MUBS has never been a university, but some people didn’t adhere,” Acato reiterates.

In the statement, Lejeune explained that according to Section 131(4) of the 2001 Universities and Tertiary Institutions Act, a university which does not appear in the council’s register shall not advertise or in any manner hold itself out to the public as a university, admit or continue to admit students to course or programmes leading to awards of certificates, diplomas or degrees.

“It is, therefore, clear that by putting an advert in the press, MUBS is posing as a university, which it is not and offering degrees which it has no authority to do. The council cautions the public that the degrees advertised are not degrees of Makerere University and advertised by a tertiary institution, which has neither the authority nor mandate to do so. Such degrees will not be recognised in Uganda,” Lejeune added.

The Ministry of Education also defends itself saying the issue was before court, hence implying that they could not have acted administratively.

“The ruling (Wengi’s) triggered off many actions by MUBS and Makerere appealed. So until we clear the fight of legal interpretation, we cannot act administratively because it would be contempt of court.

“But the matter is before Cabinet and hopefully a solution will be found soon,” says Aggrey Kibenge, the ministry’s spokesperson.

“Even if Cabinet (had) pronounced itself, it is not that we as a ministry are reluctant or insensitive. We would like to solve this matter amicably and end the anxiety of all those involved as well as members of the public,” he explained.

Opio says they are still going to act, but blames students for not adhering to the call that MUBS is not independent.

“How can you go to a place you know is not a university and register yourself there? It is like coming to my home and saying register me! A whole A’ level student? Don’t you think they need more coaching?” he wondered.

“But since we have established that students were acting ignorantly, we shall not allow them to suffer. We shall resolve the matter between the institutions and ensure that they co-exist; you can assure them (students),” Opio said, but declined to discuss the issue any further.

At the campus
By press time, Abeja could not be reached for a comment. She was not picking her phone and sent a text message to our reporter that she was in a meeting. But even later on through the day, she was still not available for comment.

When Education Vision visited the MUBS campus, there were several admission lists pinned up on Block Five, a few metres away from the main building. On each list was a heading: “Admission list from the Makerere University Business School academic registrar.”

There were also other “mop up” lists showing the names of the students who may have been omitted in the previous ones.

Another notice said the candidates who applied after July 30, may find their names missing — probably implying that more names were yet to be pinned up.

An August 8 statement signed by Abeja, pinned up on many campus notice boards, called for calm.

“There is a growing uncertainty among students, parents, guardians, staff and all stakeholders about the future of MUBS,” the statement read.

MUBS stayed open and continued its normal operations. The academic year 2007/08 commenced the first semester on August 11, as scheduled.

First Year students should have reported on that date to begin their studies, while continuing students are expected to report on August 18.

The number of MUBS students, admitted on the various courses in 2007/08 academic year, which The New Vision saw, include:

B. Business Economics 64
B. Commerce 371
B. Real Estate Management 26
B. Procurement and Supply Chain 421
B. Business Computing 171
B. Entrepreneurship 147
B. Business Statistics 36
B. Office and Information management 114
B. Science in Accounting 153
B. Human Resources 388
B. Business Administration 985
B. Science in Finance 61
B. Science in Marketing 50
B. Catering and hotel management 56
B. Travel and Tourism 42
B. International Business 131
B. Transport and Logistics management 46
B. Leadership and Governance 17
TOTAL 3,297
(this excludes the number on the “mop up” lists).

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