Makerere closed over lecturers' payrise demand

By Innocent Anguyo

Makerere University has been closed indefinitely over lectures’ demand of 100% salary increment.

The University Council chairperson Dr. Wana Etyemu Wednesday afternoon announced the closure after a three-hour closed meeting.

 Makerere University Council in May approved a request by staff to double their salaries across the board, bringing an end to a sit-down strike.

But the education minister, Jessica Alupo, said the Government would not implement a 100% pay rise for Makerere staff across the board this financial year.

The level of brain-drain in Public universities is alarming as dons keep quitting for jobs in well-paying private and foreign universities and non-academic jobs. Uganda is ranked number one in east Africa in terms of low pay for university academic staff.

Makerere lost 25 high-profile lecturers in 2011 alone, forcing management to suspend the Master of Journalism and Communication programme for a year, among other courses.

Mbarara University also lost 20 lecturers while Gulu Univeristy reportedly loses about 10 senior lecturers every academic year.

A 2012 Auditor General's report shows that there is need for close to 3,000 lecturers and others in more senior positions in the four of the five public universities.

At Makerere, it was noted that there were only 1,403 academic positions filled against the establishment of 2,654 positions. This left a total of 1,251 positions (about 47%) vacant.

Particularly, the report indicated that all the departments in the schools of economics and business were less than 50% staffed.