Makerere University Council closes Fort Portal campus

What you need to know:

Moved. Degree-pursuing students and lecturers are to relocate the main campus in Kampala.

KABAROLE.

Makerere University Council has closed its Fort Portal campus, citing low student enrolment levels, among other reasons.

According to a May 25 letter by the University Secretary, Mr Charles Barugahare to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Ddumba-Ssentamu, the campus will not open for the 2016/2017 academic year.

“The University Council received and considered business from Senate and….agreed to close Fort Portal campus from the academic year 2016/17… the degree pursuing students will be relocated to the main campus next academic year,” the letter reads in part.

Staff to be moved
Staff on permanent terms of service will also be relocated to the main campus. The Fort Portal campus opened in 2010.

The university authorities also cited failure by the community in Fort Portal to embrace the campus due to the existence of two private universities; Mountains of the Moon and Uganda Pentecostal University and failure to identify suitable and convenient premises, among other reasons.

Prof Twaha Ali Basamba, the acting director of Makerere University Fort Portal campus, said in the current academic year, there are 148 students on certificate, degree and diploma programmes. There are also five full-time lecturers, who have been at the campus since 2010.

According to Prof Basamba, the university has not been cost-effective and has not been able to cope with some challenges since its inception.
“The campus has been facing challenges in paying utility bills, salaries, wages and rent,” he said.

Ms Ritah Namisango, the Makerere University public relations officer, confirmed the council’s decision. She, however, said the students who have been studying at the campus will not be affected by the closure.

“The students will remain students of Makerere University on the same academic programmes they were studying, since they have admission letters from Makerere,” she said.

At its inception, the premises of the campus were located at the former Kabarole District Agricultural Training and Information Centre (DATIC) in Kyembogo, Hakibale Sub-county.

However, two years later, it relocated to the Tooro Kingdom administrative seat at Mucwa and occupied the education and health buildings that were formerly used by the Kabarole District administration.
The campus also faced threats of eviction from Tooro Kingdom due to failure to pay rent.

Last year, students at the campus staged a strike protesting the institution’s failure to account for guild, medical care and library fees, which they contribute every semester.

About the campus

Beneficiaries. The Fort Portal campus was meant to serve students from the districts of Hoima, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Kasese, Kyenjojo, Kamwenge and Ibanda.
Courses. Courses that were being taught at the university were Bachelor of Agribusiness Management, Bachelor of Agriculture Extension, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Business Statistics and Bachelor of Public Administration.