Universities set dates for final year exams 

Universities across the country have set dates on which finalists will report back to different universities to complete their studies while others learn online.

This comes after President Yoweri Museveni issued directives allowing the reopening of schools and higher institutions of learning. This came six months after their closure due to the OVID19 pandemic.

Bachelor's of medicine and surgery students at Makerere University reported over the weekend while the rest of the students are expected back on October 17.

The university vice-chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, has stressed that the exams would be done on-site and that the university will plan for students to sit in small groups during the exams.

"Final year medical students resumed studies for the second semester on October 3 and will complete the semester on November 2. While the rest of the final year undergraduate and graduate students will report on October 17 and complete the semester on December 12. Other students will continue studying online," Nawangwe said during an interview.

He noted that the second semester was interrupted in March year when the Government ordered the closure of all institutions of learning.

According to Prof Nawangwe, the university has been preparing for online learning and the different colleges are ready for online lessons. So far, 600 lecturers have been trained to handle this.

Meanwhile, Kyambogo University set October 17 as the date for reopening for final year students. This also applies to the final year students in their learning centres across the country.

The university vice-chancellor, Prof. Eli Katunguka, said teaching is set to resume on October 19 and will last only four weeks.

Final exams are scheduled for November 16-29. He noted that an infection control and prevention committee has been constituted to ensure implementation of infection control at the medical centre and university.

UCU DOING EXAMS

Final year students at Uganda Christian University (UCU) report on October 15, which is also the day the university will commence online studies for continuing students.

UCU spokesperson Frank Obonyo said the university had over 90 courses, but final year students in only 10 courses would report to the University for the Face-to-face learning.

He said the university was already conducting examinations. "We started exams 15 days ago and gave the students a submission date of October 15," Obonyo said.

The spokesperson said the university had carried out a survey shortly after President Museveni announced nationwide lockdown measures as a result of which public institutions were closed and found out that 95% of their students had access to either a phone or computer.

Busitema University and Lira University have also reportedly set October 17 as the reporting date for their students. The students will also sit their exams in December.