Makerere University’s leadership has come under the microscope of Parliament over delays to review and accredit several courses offered at the institution, putting it at great risk and dimming the academic future of its graduates. According to the report by the Auditor General, 198 courses that are currently offered at the university have expired and are pending review or accreditation.
As indicated by the audit, out of the 347 courses that are active and currently taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, only 149 are fully accredited or reviewed; the remaining 198 courses have not undergone the necessary reviews: departmental consultations, stakeholder involvement, school and college reviews, including those to be carried out by the Senate, Senate Committees, Quality Assurance Committee, and University Council.
This delay in reviewing and accrediting these courses has raised concerns among members of Parliament that this might affect the overall ranking of the university and, in turn, future opportunities for its graduates. The chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, Muwanga Kivumbi, had pointed out that students who graduate from unaccredited courses might have problems with further studies and recognition by various professional bodies both locally and internationally.
“The failure to have timely review and accreditation of courses affects the university’s ranking, and the students that graduate from affected courses or programs may face challenges of admission in other international and local learning institutions,” said Kivumbi.
The report also put into perspective the challenges besetting Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute in Kabanyolo. The institute is at the risk of losing 650 acres to encroachment on the rich state land valued at an estimated Shs325 billion. One person has already snatched a part for the construction of a private school, which calls for urgent fencing and securing of the institute’s boundaries to forestall further encroachments.
The institute is also grossly under-staffed. According to the Auditor General’s report, against the approved structure of 235 positions, the number currently filled is 37, while 196 are vacant. This represents an 83% vacancy rate, which seriously impairs the Institute’s capacity for executing its research and educational mandates.
The Parliament has further ordered Makerere University to recover Shs127,059,137 that was paid to an absconded contract staff member at the College of Computing and ICT. Delaying to delete the absentee staff member from the payroll led to salary payment for services not rendered resulting in financial loss to the university and consequently the government.
This delay in removal from payroll results in payment for services that were not rendered to the university thus causing financial loss to the government. The accounting officer should recover the funds from the staff within six months of adoption of this report, Muwanga Kivumbi said.
These concerns have made Parliament call upon the administration of Makerere University to speed up the re-accreditation of all the courses that are pending, to ensure that the standing of the university and its degrees remain protected. They have also called upon the institution to address the staffing challenges at MUARIK and secure the disputed land to ensure no more encroachments.
This call for action immediately reminds one that the Makerere University, Uganda’s premier higher education institution, needs attention in terms of maintaining the highest quality of academic and administrative governance. Timely intervention and reforms will support Makerere University’s ability to meet these challenges as it pursues its goal of continuing quality education that meets local and international standards.
