The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda| GODFREY SSALI | President Yoweri Museveni has directed the newly installed Makerere University Vice Chancellor VC) Professor Barnabas Nawangwe and the administration to consider phasing out all the non- market oriented arts courses if the institution is to remain relevant to the public its serving.
Museveni who presided over the installation ceremony of the former Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) for Finance and Administration as the new VC, said a lot of resources and effort are often wasted on irrelevant disciplines which are unfair to the students and their parents.
He emphasized the need for public universities to always put marketability and needs of the society into consideration.
“The problem of Makerere are these courses that are not market oriented courses because it is both unfair to the country and parents because they pay for disciplines that have no demand in the job market”, said Museveni.
Museveni hailed the outgoing VC Prof Ddumba Ssentamu for his contribution to the growth of university education.
Nawangwe pleads on University land
After promising to turn Makerere University property and assets into revenue generating avenues, Nawangwe said one of the greatest challenges they are facing are land grabbers.
He said they are spending a lot of energy in court battles to secure the university’s land.
In his remarks, Museveni promised to support Makerere university on land.
“We shall cancel any land titles that have been produced on the university land,” he promised.
Nawangwe to boost sports
Nawangwe pledged to re-develop the dilapidated sports facilities at the institution saying the lack of sports facilities accounts for some of the strikes that are often witnessed at the University.
“The lack of sports facilities negatively affects the health of the minds of students who many a times resort to strikes to release their energy”, said Nawangwe
Nawangwe said a new modern indoor netball stadium will be in place by September next year as part of a multi-purpose sports complex that will eventually see the University host international engagements.
“Ultimately the goal is to re-develop the university sports grounds into a multi-purpose modern stadium starting with the indoor stadium to accommodate the third word universities’ world championship that Makerere will host in September 2018 on behalf of Uganda,” said Nawangwe
