Makerere makes U-turn on closing branch

Makerere University has reversed its plans of closing its Fort Portal branch this academic year.

This was after Moses Mugisa a second year student drugged the institution to courts of law accusing it of breach of contract.

Two weeks ago, fort portal high court judge David Batema issued a court order restraining Makerere from activities of relocating the campus and also advised the two parties to seat and reconcile.

A meeting held between the students and Makerere university leadership in fort portal resolved that the campus continues with its operations until 2018 to allow the continuing students who cannot relocate to Kampala to finish their studies.

"Students who choose to continue their studies in Fort Portal shall receive instructions and support services under the arrangements made by the relevant colleges or schools of Makerere University" said Prof Baker Nyakana the director Jinja campus who represented Makerere during the meeting.

Nyakana said that Makerere University will secure a conducive study Centre in Fort Portal to enable teaching, learning and research for students.

"Makerere University will provide staff to facilitate the students in Fort Portal and a mode of facilitation will be in form of regular hour contact hours, split into lecture hours, practical hours, field hours among others" he said, adding that research materials and ICT facilities shall be provided.

For students who choose to relocate to the main campus, Nyakana said that they will be issued with relocation letters by the academic registrar indicating and confirming their new status arising from their preferred choices.

"Free accommodation shall be provided in the halls of residence for the duration of 1-2 years for students who choose to relocate to the main campus in Kampala" he said. The two parties also agreed that there will be no new admission of students in the 2016/2017 academic year.

Richard Bwiruka the lawyer of the petition told the New Vision that the party to bear the costs of the application shall be determined by court. Mugisa the lead petitioner said that he was very much satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.

"The things that took me to court were agreed upon and resolved during the meeting" Mugisa said. Two months ago the Makerere University Council had resolved to close the Fort Portal campus on grounds that the community in fort portal had failed to embrace it and that there has been poor student enrollment since the inception of the campus six years ago.