Kyambogo varsity lecturers lay down tools over pay

Kampala.
Kyambogo University has failed to pay the salaries of their lecturers amounting to Shs3 billion which has accumulated since January to April.

Academic staff (permanent and part time) members, yesterday resolved to lay down their tools until the university clears all the money they demand for teaching allowances, marking, setting exams and research supervision.

The vice chancellor, Prof Elly Katunguka, yesterday in a press briefing before lecturers made their pronouncement, attributed the delays of payment to the failure by the university to access the money from the government. “The delay has been caused by the new regulations after the Permanent Secretary, ministry of Finance directing that all the money we collect from the university must be deposited to the Consolidated Fund to the Bank of Uganda under the integrated financial management system,” Prof Katunguka said.

He said before the university can access the money, it has to apply to the permanent secretary, adding that this is a long process.

“This Consolidated Fund does not work for universities but rather works for local governments. There is a lot of bureaucracy at the ministry of Finance whenever we want to access that money in the Consolidated Fund. So what happens when you have any emergency in the university? The fund is not working for us, so we think it should be scraped off,” Prof Katunguka said.

He, however, said the university has secured Shs1.3 billion to pay half of the money lectures are demanding for two months, covering January and February.

At the same function, Prof Katunguka also said more than 30 students, who were caught with forged examination permits in the just concluded exams, face dismissal.

“The university disciplinary committee is sitting next week to give the above students a fair hearing before handing in a report to senate for next course of action,” Prof Katunguka said.

Prof Katugunga also revealed that the university plans to kick-start teaching the degree in nursing and public health starting next year.

He said the senate has already approved the courses and they are currently before the National Council for Higher Education for approval.

He added that the visitation committee that was instituted by President Museveni investigate the woes of Makerere University recommended that other universities should adopt Kyambogo University’s E-kampus system to monitor their management.

The E-kampus system monitors student’s records, financial management, and examination management system. Prof Katugunga said if adopted by Makerere University, the system will curb rampant exam results alteration.