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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kyambogo University has set October 17th as the reopening date for final year students to complete their studies. This also applies to the final year students in their learning centers of Bushenyi and Soroti.
The teaching will resume on 19th October and it will last for only four weeks ending on 13th November and then the final exams on 16th to 29th November for a period of two weeks.
The number of finalists who are expected to come to complete their semester two is 11,943 students based on enrolled figures for semester 1, 2019/2020 academic year.
These are PhD 3rd year students, all masters programs- 2nd years, first year post graduate diploma programs, all Bachelor’s degree programs finalists, 2nd year bachelor of teacher Education, 2nd year bachelor of Education, all 2nd year diploma programs, all 2nd years for certificate programs and all 1st year certificate programs.
In his address to the nation on Sunday September 20th, the president of Uganda, communicated government’s decision to reopen education Institutions for final year students to complete their studies.
Professor Eli Katunguka the Vice Chancellor Kyambogo university while addressing the media at Kyambogo University said that about 75 percent of teaching which includes lecturing, giving assignments and coursework had been completed before the temporally closure.
Katunguka adds that the remaining 25 percent will be completed in a period of four weeks.
According to Professor Katunguka, the university has always had three sessions of examinations from 8am-7pm. However, with the current circumstances, they will have only two sessions, one in the morning and another in the afternoon to cater for curfew.
He emphasized that they will make sure that they strictly follow the guidelines issued by the National council for higher education, SOPs by health ministry by ensuring that staff and students wear masks, wash hands regularly, sanitize and maintain social distancing.
“The classes with many students will be split into small manageable groups to ensure the social distancing,” the Professor adds.
Commenting on the tuition payments, the professor says some students had already fully paid their school fees before the closure.
However, all final students who had not paid are advised to do so as soon as the university reopens because no students will be allowed into the examination room unless they have fully paid.
Kantunguka notes that government-sponsored students had already received their food and living out allowances for second semester. They should therefore not expect other allowances from the university.
“I therefore call upon all government sponsored students to request their parents to provide them with enough pocket money to cater for the remaining period of second semester” Katunguka urges.
Regarding the issue of accommodation, professor says, they have enough space to accommodate all resident final year students under the new arrangement which takes into account the social distance rule.
This will be in order to secure the lives of their students; there are strict SOPs which will be followed at the halls of residences.
Professor Katunguka explains that there will be fumigation of all halls of residences, halls to be utilized at half capacity, disinfecting of all students’ property before accessing the halls, and hand washing facilities among other SOPs.
The professors also says that the university medical center has put in place clear protocols for referral of suspected COVID-19 cases assisted with 24 hour ambulance services.
“We have acquired emergency alert phone numbers from the health ministry-designated COVID-19 treatment centers.” He adds.
He says the infection control and prevention committee led by the senior nursing officer has been constituted to ensure implementation of infection control at the medical center and at the university as whole.
A screening area for isolation of suspected COVID-19 cases has been put in place. The screening area is managed by professional health workers.
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