Students’ guilds aren’t for party politics
Mar 16, 2010
EDITOR—Schools, universities and colleges are the temple for learning. Most influential scientist, engineers, doctors, politicians, professors, writers, etc are products of schools or universities.
EDITOR—Schools, universities and colleges are the temple for learning. Most influential scientist, engineers, doctors, politicians, professors, writers, etc are products of schools or universities.
Therefore, there should be a peaceful academic and extra-curricular environment in these institutions. Most of the universities or colleges around the world have their own student guild organisations for the welfare and development of students and their leadership skills.
It is necessary to unite students for their welfare and protect their rights. Democratic practices are needed to choose the student guild leaders. But at the same time, if a students’ guild is affiliated to some political party then there will be no guarantee such a guild can work fairly for the welfare of the students and protect their interests.
This is killing student advocacy at Makerere University and other higher institutions of learning in this country. The students’ guilds are being used by their mother parties to conduct strikes, conflict with opponents and spread fear! This is not the job of the students’ guild or students. Student party branches at the university mainly work for their parties and their political campaign.
That is unfortunate. It is true that most of our party leaders and Government ministers were once student leaders. However, this is not good enough reason to ground national party politics in students’ affairs.
Unfortunately, student leaders in these institutions are practising the same kind of politics of intrigue, corruption, indiscipline, without a vision and clear idea for student welfare, violence and tussle with opponents. In Makerere for example, when a Guild President of party A wins an election, the elected GRC members who belong to party B will work towards failing that regime in order to win the next election! What then is expected of them when they finally join national politics?
The role of the students’ guild should be largely the welfare of students. They should help their fellow students in developing careers, counselling, organising educational and entertainment programmes.
The guild should take care of training and leadership programmes, arrange educational visits to different parts of the country as well as abroad. It should also help to provide scholarships to deserving and needy students from colleges or different organisations.
Students should be helped to find internship in the country or abroad, to search for jobs, and participate in building and designing the academic schedule, plan activities with the university management or council, etc. The students’ guild should help to create a holistic environment for study.
Guilds should also work to provide student discount facilities to public transport, university or college cafeteria and also help to provide students with affordable housing. These should be the main job for elected leaders of the students’ guild. Instead students’ leaders are more into party work and giving more time and energy for that!
Their main intention is to be future country leaders which is not a bad thing but when elected in the students’ guild, they should truly work for the welfare of students and play their role as students and not as partisan politicians.
As students in universities and colleges go to polls, it is essential that they elect student leaders whose primary concern is students’ welfare. I also implore university managements in these institutions to either regularise or ban national political party activism.
Kenneth Massette
Speaker Makerere Students Guild
Therefore, there should be a peaceful academic and extra-curricular environment in these institutions. Most of the universities or colleges around the world have their own student guild organisations for the welfare and development of students and their leadership skills.
It is necessary to unite students for their welfare and protect their rights. Democratic practices are needed to choose the student guild leaders. But at the same time, if a students’ guild is affiliated to some political party then there will be no guarantee such a guild can work fairly for the welfare of the students and protect their interests.
This is killing student advocacy at Makerere University and other higher institutions of learning in this country. The students’ guilds are being used by their mother parties to conduct strikes, conflict with opponents and spread fear! This is not the job of the students’ guild or students. Student party branches at the university mainly work for their parties and their political campaign.
That is unfortunate. It is true that most of our party leaders and Government ministers were once student leaders. However, this is not good enough reason to ground national party politics in students’ affairs.
Unfortunately, student leaders in these institutions are practising the same kind of politics of intrigue, corruption, indiscipline, without a vision and clear idea for student welfare, violence and tussle with opponents. In Makerere for example, when a Guild President of party A wins an election, the elected GRC members who belong to party B will work towards failing that regime in order to win the next election! What then is expected of them when they finally join national politics?
The role of the students’ guild should be largely the welfare of students. They should help their fellow students in developing careers, counselling, organising educational and entertainment programmes.
The guild should take care of training and leadership programmes, arrange educational visits to different parts of the country as well as abroad. It should also help to provide scholarships to deserving and needy students from colleges or different organisations.
Students should be helped to find internship in the country or abroad, to search for jobs, and participate in building and designing the academic schedule, plan activities with the university management or council, etc. The students’ guild should help to create a holistic environment for study.
Guilds should also work to provide student discount facilities to public transport, university or college cafeteria and also help to provide students with affordable housing. These should be the main job for elected leaders of the students’ guild. Instead students’ leaders are more into party work and giving more time and energy for that!
Their main intention is to be future country leaders which is not a bad thing but when elected in the students’ guild, they should truly work for the welfare of students and play their role as students and not as partisan politicians.
As students in universities and colleges go to polls, it is essential that they elect student leaders whose primary concern is students’ welfare. I also implore university managements in these institutions to either regularise or ban national political party activism.
Kenneth Massette
Speaker Makerere Students Guild