MPs block new courses at Makerere
Jul 27, 2009
THE social services committee has ordered Makerere University to halt the admission of students for the 14 new academic programmes that have not yet been accredited by the National Council of Higher Education.
By Joyce Namutebi
and Umaru Kashaka
THE social services committee has ordered Makerere University to halt the admission of students for the 14 new academic programmes that have not yet been accredited by the National Council of Higher Education.
The decision was reached yesterday after the committee received submissions by education state minister Kamanda Bataringaya, university secretary Samuel Akorimo and Ambassador Yeko Acato from the council.
“Halt admission for those courses not accredited until the problem is resolved,†committee chairperson Rosemary Seninde ruled.
The MPs resolved to meet the stakeholders again today to solve the impasse between the council and the university.
It also asked the university to provide the list of programmes and students who have been admitted for those courses. The lawmakers wanted to know what would happen if the council refused to accredit them.
“Are you going to run non-accredited programmes? What is the fate of those students?†asked MP Alice Alaso (FDC).
Makerere recently sought applications from students wishing to enroll for the 14 new courses. Some of the courses are to be offered by Makerere while others will be taught at the business school in Nakawa (MUBS).
The courses at MUBS include Travel and Tourism Management, Accounting, Real Estate and Business Management, Transport and Logistics, Marketing, and Economics.
Makerere is also introducing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering which will be conducted in the Faculty of Technology.
The Faculty of Computing and Information Technology has also introduced a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering as well as a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems.
Akorimo yesterday said the council had demanded sh450m for accreditation but Makerere said it was not its responsibility to pay the council to do its job. He said the council’s demand was contested by Parliament and the education ministry.
“So we decided to advertise and these programmes are budgeted for.â€
But Acato said only sh12m was needed to accredit the courses.
“When Makerere submitted 14 new courses, we established that they should pay.â€
He said other universities had paid for accreditation of their academic programmes. Acato added that in the past, the regulatory body could only license and accredit institutions. But since the Act had been amended, the council can also license academic programmes, both in public and private universities.
Over 1,000 un-accredited academic programmes are being run in the country, he noted. “We have given them provisional accreditation so that there is no interruption. But no new academic programmes should be mounted unless they are accredited,†he stressed.
Bataringaya said the universities should pay for the accreditation.
and Umaru Kashaka
THE social services committee has ordered Makerere University to halt the admission of students for the 14 new academic programmes that have not yet been accredited by the National Council of Higher Education.
The decision was reached yesterday after the committee received submissions by education state minister Kamanda Bataringaya, university secretary Samuel Akorimo and Ambassador Yeko Acato from the council.
“Halt admission for those courses not accredited until the problem is resolved,†committee chairperson Rosemary Seninde ruled.
The MPs resolved to meet the stakeholders again today to solve the impasse between the council and the university.
It also asked the university to provide the list of programmes and students who have been admitted for those courses. The lawmakers wanted to know what would happen if the council refused to accredit them.
“Are you going to run non-accredited programmes? What is the fate of those students?†asked MP Alice Alaso (FDC).
Makerere recently sought applications from students wishing to enroll for the 14 new courses. Some of the courses are to be offered by Makerere while others will be taught at the business school in Nakawa (MUBS).
The courses at MUBS include Travel and Tourism Management, Accounting, Real Estate and Business Management, Transport and Logistics, Marketing, and Economics.
Makerere is also introducing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering which will be conducted in the Faculty of Technology.
The Faculty of Computing and Information Technology has also introduced a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering as well as a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems.
Akorimo yesterday said the council had demanded sh450m for accreditation but Makerere said it was not its responsibility to pay the council to do its job. He said the council’s demand was contested by Parliament and the education ministry.
“So we decided to advertise and these programmes are budgeted for.â€
But Acato said only sh12m was needed to accredit the courses.
“When Makerere submitted 14 new courses, we established that they should pay.â€
He said other universities had paid for accreditation of their academic programmes. Acato added that in the past, the regulatory body could only license and accredit institutions. But since the Act had been amended, the council can also license academic programmes, both in public and private universities.
Over 1,000 un-accredited academic programmes are being run in the country, he noted. “We have given them provisional accreditation so that there is no interruption. But no new academic programmes should be mounted unless they are accredited,†he stressed.
Bataringaya said the universities should pay for the accreditation.