Student leaders want university tuition payment policies suspended

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | As students prepare to return to class after a long break due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the student leaders have now asked that some of the policies on tuition payment be suspended.

Guild presidents from different universities have asked government to intervene by asking university administrators for both private and public to suspend their tuition payment policies which require students to start paying 100% of the required fees before sitting for exams.

The student’s leaders held a press conference today at Makerere University and raised a number of concerns including tuition payment.

Makerere University Guild President, Julius Kateregga explained that while administrators in government universities never had problems with payment during lockdown, majority of those in private together with their parents were almost not earning.

His deputy Judith Nalukwago added that government has the powers to order universities to suspend the policies and come up with strategies that can recover their tuition from students even after sitting for exams.

The student’s leaders are also suggesting that government can come up with a financial package to support the universities as they resume provision of services like it has done in other sectors so that they don’t have to over burden students and their parents.

Patrick Mbogga, guild president of Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi raised the issue of international students who have not been fully catered for as universities plan to resume studies saying that most of them are still facing hardships in returning to Uganda to study.

Naluwkago asked for a compete refrain from the online studies policy threatening that students will opt to suing government should they miss studies after they have even paid tuition.

On the issue of accommodation for students, Jonathan Tundulu, the guild president for Kyambogo university noted that students are being asked by hostel owners to clear arrears which they owed them before lockdown and on top of that landlords are hiking rent fees saying property rate taxes has also increased.

Tundulu appealed to their leaders to work with the ministry of education to see that they approach Uganda Revenue Authority-URA to reduce the burden on building owners so that they can also be forced to reduce the burden on students and parents.

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