MUBS students riot over registration
Apr 16, 2009
MAKERERE University Business School (MUBS) students yesterday staged a strike over delayed registration.
By Conan Businge
MAKERERE University Business School (MUBS) students yesterday staged a strike over delayed registration.
Makerere University, under which the school operates, has delayed the registration of 4,800 students undertaking new courses.
Although Makerere approved the courses last April, after a heated debate between the two institutions, it did not register the students.
The affected students, some of whom are about to finish their three-year courses, yesterday demanded an explanation from the Government. About 200 students stormed out of the school and cut off roads in Nakawa and the Kampala-Jinja highway.
The anti-riot Police and military Police quickly halted the strike. After calming down the students, they led them to the education ministry where they met the higher education state minister, Mwesigwa Rukutana.
Rukutana promised to table the students’ issues to his colleagues in government. “I will get back to you in two weeks’ time,†he promised.
Peter Odoki, the spokesperson of the business school, said: “Makerere approved the new courses we started, but is yet to register the students.â€
He said Makerere was still verifying academic papers of the students “before they can officially admit themâ€.
Odoki explained that the verification process would be accomplished soon. “The students need to remain calm. They will soon be registered,†he said. But his Makerere counterpart Gilbert Kadilo declined to comment.
The business school started the courses in 2007 before approval by the Makerere University Council. At the height of the impasse, MUBS’ principal Prof. Wasswa Balunywa appealed to Parliament to rescue the “stranded†students.
The affected courses are bachelors of Business Statistics, Science in Finance, Science in Marketing, Travel and Tourism and Leadership and Governance.
The others are Bachelors of Science in Finance and Real Estate Management.
The problem started in July 2006 when the High Court ruled that MUBS should be an independent university. Makerere University appealed immediately and the ruling was halted.
Despite this, MUBS advertised the contentious courses as an independent university.
.
MAKERERE University Business School (MUBS) students yesterday staged a strike over delayed registration.
Makerere University, under which the school operates, has delayed the registration of 4,800 students undertaking new courses.
Although Makerere approved the courses last April, after a heated debate between the two institutions, it did not register the students.
The affected students, some of whom are about to finish their three-year courses, yesterday demanded an explanation from the Government. About 200 students stormed out of the school and cut off roads in Nakawa and the Kampala-Jinja highway.
The anti-riot Police and military Police quickly halted the strike. After calming down the students, they led them to the education ministry where they met the higher education state minister, Mwesigwa Rukutana.
Rukutana promised to table the students’ issues to his colleagues in government. “I will get back to you in two weeks’ time,†he promised.
Peter Odoki, the spokesperson of the business school, said: “Makerere approved the new courses we started, but is yet to register the students.â€
He said Makerere was still verifying academic papers of the students “before they can officially admit themâ€.
Odoki explained that the verification process would be accomplished soon. “The students need to remain calm. They will soon be registered,†he said. But his Makerere counterpart Gilbert Kadilo declined to comment.
The business school started the courses in 2007 before approval by the Makerere University Council. At the height of the impasse, MUBS’ principal Prof. Wasswa Balunywa appealed to Parliament to rescue the “stranded†students.
The affected courses are bachelors of Business Statistics, Science in Finance, Science in Marketing, Travel and Tourism and Leadership and Governance.
The others are Bachelors of Science in Finance and Real Estate Management.
The problem started in July 2006 when the High Court ruled that MUBS should be an independent university. Makerere University appealed immediately and the ruling was halted.
Despite this, MUBS advertised the contentious courses as an independent university.
.