Baryamureeba’s dream for Makerere
Oct 26, 2009
AT 87 years, Makerere University has got its 14th head. Prof. Venasius Baryamureeba, 40, will soon be appointed the new-vice chancellor. To climb to the helm, he beat professor of economics Ddumba Ssentamu, Edward Kirumira, a sociology professor and the f
By Francis Kagolo
AT 87 years, Makerere University has got its 14th head. Prof. Venasius Baryamureeba, 40, will soon be appointed the new-vice chancellor. To climb to the helm, he beat professor of economics Ddumba Ssentamu, Edward Kirumira, a sociology professor and the former vice-chancellor, Prof. Livingstone Luboobi.
Baryamureeba is famed for building his barely decade-old faculty of computing and information technology from scratch to become the university’s highest income-generating.
Baryamureeba’s appointment bumps him into the enormous challenges Makerere University is facing. A university with insufficient funds, constant strikes and scholars embroiled in internal ethnic wrangles, analysts say Baryamureeba has fallen in hot soup. But, why is Baryamureeba likely find hard time at Makerere?
Funding woes and financial mismanagement
Since the 1990s, Makerere’s funding from the Government has consistently fallen short of the institution’s core needs. For instance, during the 2000/2001 academic year, Makerere only got sh23b (38%) from the Government, of the sh61b it had budgeted for.
For several years, the university has been running on a deficit budget and has accumulated arrears for three years, totalling to sh26.3b. Although undertaking research is core to university education, Makerere has depended on donors for funds to carry on research projects since 1990.
There are reports of financial mismanagement that discredited the outgoing top management. Amidst budgetary deficits, there has been supple recruitment of staff, especially administrative. This, a source says, has increased the university wage bill on salaries and allowances of administrative staff.
Baryamureeba also finds a university that is always enmeshed in strikes. In Luboobi’s five-year term, the academic staff laid down tools five times while students staged at least four violent strikes.
Reacting on allegations of financial mismanagement, the academic staff association, MUASA, moved a vote of no confidence in Prof Luboobi, his two deputies David Bakibinga and Lillian Tibatemwa, bursar Ben Byambabazi and secretary Sam Akorimo. They demanded for their resignation.
Infighting
Makerere University’s tales of intrigue and fights among the institution’s staff is not new. The most recent case is outgoing vice-chancellor Luboobi’s clash with his second deputy, Prof. David Bakibinga, over the management of a sh30b academic reforms’ project funded by the Swedish International Development Agency.
Poor relationship, suspicion and mistrust between MUASA and the university top management has led to strikes in the past decade. As a result, the university’s image has been tainted. This has reportedly cost the institution some foreign funding and undermined service delivery.
From faculty levels to the topmost administration, the university is divided into cliques fighting each other.
Decline in academics
Since Makerere University opened its doors for privately sponsored students in 1994, it has seen an increase in student population from 867 in 1960 to the current 40,000.
However, the increased student enrolment was not matched by corresponding increases in facilities. Today, it is common to find a lecturer in a class of over 500 students.
There has been a reduction in coursework and the tutorials, were disbanded years ago. Students also complain of lecturers dodging classes, long registration queues, missing coursework and delay in getting transcript and certificates. A number of buildings including students’ halls of residence are dilapidated — the university needs billions to refurbish them.
There is public outcry, especially among employers that the quality of learning has been jeopardised. Although Baryamureeba suggests some striking measures, it is difficult for him to entirely address the issue in the six months he has been given to head the university.
Poor public relations
Intrigue, poor service delivery, poor management and lack of a proper information dissemination mechanism have caused Makerere University negative press reports. Baryamureeba, in his presentation to the council expressed displeasure over failure by the institution’s public relations team to undertake a proactive approach with the media.
This, coupled with failure to make the university’s website up-to-date, has injured the university’s image globally.
Baryamureeba’s plans
In his business plan, Baryamureeba attributes the institution’s monetary woes to unguided expenditures and general poor financial management. “Challenges emanate from lack of control structures and systems as well as running this university as an expenditure entity,†reads his document.
He is against the university continuously asking for more funds from Government without seeking other remedies. To him, the solution lies in cutting on the university expenditure and generating more money.
He suggests the university mobilises resources from its alumni; revamp its housing estates and invests in innovations/incubation centres like software development and food processing.
Baryamureeba wants the university to operationalise learning centres countrywide to run certificate, diploma and bachelor programmes to train more Ugandans and to generate more funds. He also suggests that Makerere jointly runs online diploma and degrees with other international universities.
Baryamureeba expects to lobby his colleagues to institute intrigue and conflict resolution mechanisms, like boosting proper information flow and introducing a reward and recognition mechanism for outstanding performance. He also wants to focus on improving management-student relations.
To manage student numbers, he proposes retooling existing staff, developing an incident/query management system that will be used to manage student queries and generate reports and automate service delivery (including students’ payments, registration and requests) to reduce paper work and monitor status online.
Baryamureeba suggests the university the public relations office improves relations with the media by becoming proactive. He says the university must sort out the belated sh17b scandal with the National Insurance Co-operation (NIC) to avoid poor media publicity, which he says might have long term consequences for organisations dealing with Makerere.
Baryamureeba also wants the university’s dilapidated main gate, the entrance to the main building and facilities in the main building to be refurbished because they no longer present a good image of the university. He is optimistic this will create a good impression.
Baryamureeba says only teamwork among all staff will help solve the Makerere’s challenges.
“We did not apply because we needed positions, but because we wanted to serve. I will always work with the faculty deans, my deputies, lecturers and other staff to forge ways of steering the university to greater heights,†Baryamureeba says.
Makerere: A historical background
With 22 academic units, it has close to 40,000 students, about 10% of whom are from overseas. It is still considered as the icon of Uganda’s higher education, but like any other institution, Makerere University has gone through rough times.
Established in January 1922 as a technical school with 14 students, Makerere is one of the oldest universities in Africa. By then, it taught carpentry, building and mechanics. In a few years, the college began offering other courses in medical care, agriculture, veterinary sciences and teacher training.
By 1935, it had expanded and became a centre for higher education in East Africa. In 1937, it had developed into an institution of higher education, offering certificate courses.
In 1949, it became a university college affiliated to the University College of London before it was transformed into the University of East Africa in 1963. It was offering degree courses to students from East Africa which made it a prestigious institution worldwide. This earned Makerere the moniker “Ivory Tower.â€
On July 1, 1970, Makerere became an independent national university, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Over the years, Makerere trained thousands of people who have become prominent personalities.
Makerere has 22 faculties/institutes/schools offering day and evening as well as external study programmes.
It is also an active centre for research; its scientists were part of the team that discovered Nevirapine, a drug used to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV about five years ago. There are several other research products that have held Makerere in the limelight over the decades.
MAKERERE VICE CHANCELLORS SINCE 1950
By Carol Natukunda
and Francis Kagolo
Before it was transformed into a university, Makerere was a technical college. Then, it was led by five principals other than Yusuf Lule. They are H.O Saville (1922 to 1924), D.G. Tomblings (1924 to 1939), G. C Turner (1939 to 1946), W.D Lamont (1947 to 1949), and Sir Bernard de Bunsen (1950 to 1963).
In 1949, Makerere became a university college affiliated to University College of London. Since then, it has had eight vice-chancellors.
Sir Bernard de Bunsen
(1950 to 1963)
He led the university at a time when the country was transiting from colonial rule to independence. Sources say during his reign, he firmly advocated for a federal university, as the best solution for the maintenance of academic standards in the region and preservation of the international character of university education in East Africa.
Unfortunately it did not see the light of day. Later, he became the vice-chancellor of the then University of East Africa. Not much is known about his whereabouts.
Prof. Yusuf K. Lule (RIP)
(1964 to 1970)
Lule ruled Uganda for only 69 days as President before he was deposed by his colleagues commonly referred as the “Gang of Fourâ€. He later died in London while in exile. He had been the principal of Makerere College (before it became a university), Lule was well educated and those who knew him say he was serious with books and did not tolerate any lousiness.
Probably this explains why most people that time, took the studies seriously. As an academic, rather than a politician, Lule was not regarded as a threat of the contending factions. He had been assistant secretary general of the Commonwealth in London, as well as secretary general of the African university in Accra, Ghana.
Â
Dr. Frank Kalimuzo (RIP)
(1970 to 1973)
He was the second black vice-chancellor of Makerere University. According to the available information, he was kidnapped and murdered by the Amin government. Speaking in 2006 at the launch of the Kalimuzo Scholarship Scheme at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, President Yoweri Museveni paid tribute to him for promoting education in the country as well as sensitising Ugandans on the benefits of educating their children.
Prof. Asavio Wandira
(1973 to 1986)
Wandira’s colleagues say he has a passion for education. “Education is still seen as the means of salvation,†was his usual remark. He led the Ivory Tower twice, a constant reminder that he was doing his job well.
He appeared simple, but with a strong personality and would not be bullied into taking any particular position, especially if he thought it was silly. The last time we heard about him was in 2003 on the Constitutional Review Commission.
Prof. Senteza Kajubi
(1977 to 1994)
This outspoken scholar has been until last year, the vice chancellor of Nkumba University. He is highly respected, especially for his stand on fighting for quality education in universities. He led Makerere twice. In reference to 1979’s Amin’s regime Kajubi commented: “I was in charge of the lives of all students. The university was the only institution in the country which did not close. Thank God no student was killed. They were fed very well and when the war ended, I felt like a war general,†Kajubi says.
Prof. George Kirya
(1986 to 1990)
Many credit him for being instrumental and supportive in introducing the 1.5 extra entry points for girls so they too could compete in joining the university. Four years later, he was appointed Uganda’s high commissioner to Britain where he had to answer for the murder of several tourists in Bwindi forest.
For sometime now, he has been on WBS TV, mainly presenting the health issues. He is also the chairperson of the health service commission and chancellor of Lugazi University.
Prof. John Ssebuwufu
(1993 to 2004)
He emphasised high standards in science and technology at the university. He is also said to have facilitated the launch of the Forum for African Women Educationalists Uganda. Ssebuwufu wrote about 20 scholarly articles and papers and has served as a consultant to the Government and several private firms on a wide variety of chemistry-related issues.
He was also once a diplomat. Former students also say he always stood by them in desperate times. “He was always mindful of the peasants. You could even pay your fees at the last moment, but now things are different,†says a member of the alumni. When we demonstrated, he demonstrated with us, as long as we had a cause.â€
People close to him say he is still active in development and educative work.
Prof. Livingstone Luboobi (2004 to 2009)
He is famed for his excellence in mathematics. Before taking up the vice-chancellor post, he was the dean of the Department of Mathematics. His reign has been characterised by the biggest riots the 87-year-old has probably seen. Yet Luboobi stood the test of time. Many expected him to give up. He competed in last week’s race, but lost to Prof. Venasius Baryamureeba.
Compiled by Vision reporter
AT 87 years, Makerere University has got its 14th head. Prof. Venasius Baryamureeba, 40, will soon be appointed the new-vice chancellor. To climb to the helm, he beat professor of economics Ddumba Ssentamu, Edward Kirumira, a sociology professor and the former vice-chancellor, Prof. Livingstone Luboobi.
Baryamureeba is famed for building his barely decade-old faculty of computing and information technology from scratch to become the university’s highest income-generating.
Baryamureeba’s appointment bumps him into the enormous challenges Makerere University is facing. A university with insufficient funds, constant strikes and scholars embroiled in internal ethnic wrangles, analysts say Baryamureeba has fallen in hot soup. But, why is Baryamureeba likely find hard time at Makerere?
Funding woes and financial mismanagement
Since the 1990s, Makerere’s funding from the Government has consistently fallen short of the institution’s core needs. For instance, during the 2000/2001 academic year, Makerere only got sh23b (38%) from the Government, of the sh61b it had budgeted for.
For several years, the university has been running on a deficit budget and has accumulated arrears for three years, totalling to sh26.3b. Although undertaking research is core to university education, Makerere has depended on donors for funds to carry on research projects since 1990.
There are reports of financial mismanagement that discredited the outgoing top management. Amidst budgetary deficits, there has been supple recruitment of staff, especially administrative. This, a source says, has increased the university wage bill on salaries and allowances of administrative staff.
Baryamureeba also finds a university that is always enmeshed in strikes. In Luboobi’s five-year term, the academic staff laid down tools five times while students staged at least four violent strikes.
Reacting on allegations of financial mismanagement, the academic staff association, MUASA, moved a vote of no confidence in Prof Luboobi, his two deputies David Bakibinga and Lillian Tibatemwa, bursar Ben Byambabazi and secretary Sam Akorimo. They demanded for their resignation.
Infighting
Makerere University’s tales of intrigue and fights among the institution’s staff is not new. The most recent case is outgoing vice-chancellor Luboobi’s clash with his second deputy, Prof. David Bakibinga, over the management of a sh30b academic reforms’ project funded by the Swedish International Development Agency.
Poor relationship, suspicion and mistrust between MUASA and the university top management has led to strikes in the past decade. As a result, the university’s image has been tainted. This has reportedly cost the institution some foreign funding and undermined service delivery.
From faculty levels to the topmost administration, the university is divided into cliques fighting each other.
Decline in academics
Since Makerere University opened its doors for privately sponsored students in 1994, it has seen an increase in student population from 867 in 1960 to the current 40,000.
However, the increased student enrolment was not matched by corresponding increases in facilities. Today, it is common to find a lecturer in a class of over 500 students.
There has been a reduction in coursework and the tutorials, were disbanded years ago. Students also complain of lecturers dodging classes, long registration queues, missing coursework and delay in getting transcript and certificates. A number of buildings including students’ halls of residence are dilapidated — the university needs billions to refurbish them.
There is public outcry, especially among employers that the quality of learning has been jeopardised. Although Baryamureeba suggests some striking measures, it is difficult for him to entirely address the issue in the six months he has been given to head the university.
Poor public relations
Intrigue, poor service delivery, poor management and lack of a proper information dissemination mechanism have caused Makerere University negative press reports. Baryamureeba, in his presentation to the council expressed displeasure over failure by the institution’s public relations team to undertake a proactive approach with the media.
This, coupled with failure to make the university’s website up-to-date, has injured the university’s image globally.
Baryamureeba’s plans
In his business plan, Baryamureeba attributes the institution’s monetary woes to unguided expenditures and general poor financial management. “Challenges emanate from lack of control structures and systems as well as running this university as an expenditure entity,†reads his document.
He is against the university continuously asking for more funds from Government without seeking other remedies. To him, the solution lies in cutting on the university expenditure and generating more money.
He suggests the university mobilises resources from its alumni; revamp its housing estates and invests in innovations/incubation centres like software development and food processing.
Baryamureeba wants the university to operationalise learning centres countrywide to run certificate, diploma and bachelor programmes to train more Ugandans and to generate more funds. He also suggests that Makerere jointly runs online diploma and degrees with other international universities.
Baryamureeba expects to lobby his colleagues to institute intrigue and conflict resolution mechanisms, like boosting proper information flow and introducing a reward and recognition mechanism for outstanding performance. He also wants to focus on improving management-student relations.
To manage student numbers, he proposes retooling existing staff, developing an incident/query management system that will be used to manage student queries and generate reports and automate service delivery (including students’ payments, registration and requests) to reduce paper work and monitor status online.
Baryamureeba suggests the university the public relations office improves relations with the media by becoming proactive. He says the university must sort out the belated sh17b scandal with the National Insurance Co-operation (NIC) to avoid poor media publicity, which he says might have long term consequences for organisations dealing with Makerere.
Baryamureeba also wants the university’s dilapidated main gate, the entrance to the main building and facilities in the main building to be refurbished because they no longer present a good image of the university. He is optimistic this will create a good impression.
Baryamureeba says only teamwork among all staff will help solve the Makerere’s challenges.
“We did not apply because we needed positions, but because we wanted to serve. I will always work with the faculty deans, my deputies, lecturers and other staff to forge ways of steering the university to greater heights,†Baryamureeba says.
Makerere: A historical background
With 22 academic units, it has close to 40,000 students, about 10% of whom are from overseas. It is still considered as the icon of Uganda’s higher education, but like any other institution, Makerere University has gone through rough times.
Established in January 1922 as a technical school with 14 students, Makerere is one of the oldest universities in Africa. By then, it taught carpentry, building and mechanics. In a few years, the college began offering other courses in medical care, agriculture, veterinary sciences and teacher training.
By 1935, it had expanded and became a centre for higher education in East Africa. In 1937, it had developed into an institution of higher education, offering certificate courses.
In 1949, it became a university college affiliated to the University College of London before it was transformed into the University of East Africa in 1963. It was offering degree courses to students from East Africa which made it a prestigious institution worldwide. This earned Makerere the moniker “Ivory Tower.â€
On July 1, 1970, Makerere became an independent national university, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Over the years, Makerere trained thousands of people who have become prominent personalities.
Makerere has 22 faculties/institutes/schools offering day and evening as well as external study programmes.
It is also an active centre for research; its scientists were part of the team that discovered Nevirapine, a drug used to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV about five years ago. There are several other research products that have held Makerere in the limelight over the decades.
MAKERERE VICE CHANCELLORS SINCE 1950
By Carol Natukunda
and Francis Kagolo
Before it was transformed into a university, Makerere was a technical college. Then, it was led by five principals other than Yusuf Lule. They are H.O Saville (1922 to 1924), D.G. Tomblings (1924 to 1939), G. C Turner (1939 to 1946), W.D Lamont (1947 to 1949), and Sir Bernard de Bunsen (1950 to 1963).
In 1949, Makerere became a university college affiliated to University College of London. Since then, it has had eight vice-chancellors.
Sir Bernard de Bunsen
(1950 to 1963)
He led the university at a time when the country was transiting from colonial rule to independence. Sources say during his reign, he firmly advocated for a federal university, as the best solution for the maintenance of academic standards in the region and preservation of the international character of university education in East Africa.
Unfortunately it did not see the light of day. Later, he became the vice-chancellor of the then University of East Africa. Not much is known about his whereabouts.
Prof. Yusuf K. Lule (RIP)
(1964 to 1970)
Lule ruled Uganda for only 69 days as President before he was deposed by his colleagues commonly referred as the “Gang of Fourâ€. He later died in London while in exile. He had been the principal of Makerere College (before it became a university), Lule was well educated and those who knew him say he was serious with books and did not tolerate any lousiness.
Probably this explains why most people that time, took the studies seriously. As an academic, rather than a politician, Lule was not regarded as a threat of the contending factions. He had been assistant secretary general of the Commonwealth in London, as well as secretary general of the African university in Accra, Ghana.
Â
Dr. Frank Kalimuzo (RIP)
(1970 to 1973)
He was the second black vice-chancellor of Makerere University. According to the available information, he was kidnapped and murdered by the Amin government. Speaking in 2006 at the launch of the Kalimuzo Scholarship Scheme at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, President Yoweri Museveni paid tribute to him for promoting education in the country as well as sensitising Ugandans on the benefits of educating their children.
Prof. Asavio Wandira
(1973 to 1986)
Wandira’s colleagues say he has a passion for education. “Education is still seen as the means of salvation,†was his usual remark. He led the Ivory Tower twice, a constant reminder that he was doing his job well.
He appeared simple, but with a strong personality and would not be bullied into taking any particular position, especially if he thought it was silly. The last time we heard about him was in 2003 on the Constitutional Review Commission.
Prof. Senteza Kajubi
(1977 to 1994)
This outspoken scholar has been until last year, the vice chancellor of Nkumba University. He is highly respected, especially for his stand on fighting for quality education in universities. He led Makerere twice. In reference to 1979’s Amin’s regime Kajubi commented: “I was in charge of the lives of all students. The university was the only institution in the country which did not close. Thank God no student was killed. They were fed very well and when the war ended, I felt like a war general,†Kajubi says.
Prof. George Kirya
(1986 to 1990)
Many credit him for being instrumental and supportive in introducing the 1.5 extra entry points for girls so they too could compete in joining the university. Four years later, he was appointed Uganda’s high commissioner to Britain where he had to answer for the murder of several tourists in Bwindi forest.
For sometime now, he has been on WBS TV, mainly presenting the health issues. He is also the chairperson of the health service commission and chancellor of Lugazi University.
Prof. John Ssebuwufu
(1993 to 2004)
He emphasised high standards in science and technology at the university. He is also said to have facilitated the launch of the Forum for African Women Educationalists Uganda. Ssebuwufu wrote about 20 scholarly articles and papers and has served as a consultant to the Government and several private firms on a wide variety of chemistry-related issues.
He was also once a diplomat. Former students also say he always stood by them in desperate times. “He was always mindful of the peasants. You could even pay your fees at the last moment, but now things are different,†says a member of the alumni. When we demonstrated, he demonstrated with us, as long as we had a cause.â€
People close to him say he is still active in development and educative work.
Prof. Livingstone Luboobi (2004 to 2009)
He is famed for his excellence in mathematics. Before taking up the vice-chancellor post, he was the dean of the Department of Mathematics. His reign has been characterised by the biggest riots the 87-year-old has probably seen. Yet Luboobi stood the test of time. Many expected him to give up. He competed in last week’s race, but lost to Prof. Venasius Baryamureeba.
Compiled by Vision reporter