Strip Kyambogo of its status - Kagonyera
Kampala. Makerere University Chancellor Mondo Kagonyera has said Kyambogo University should be stripped of its status for failing to meet minimum standards.
Prof Kagonyera suggested that the institution should revert to its former status of a polytechnic and a teacher training institute.
“Kyambogo University, which ought to be producing teachers and technicians, has failed to be a university. They should revert to what they were meant to be in the past,” Prof Kagonyera said.
While he did not delve into the specifics for his assertion, Prof Kagonyera spoke of how the institution has failed to take off and wallowed in the after effects of the merger of two initially independent institutions.
“It surprises me that we have lack of respect for knowledge in our society. This monster called corruption is largely attributed to lack of knowledge. We lack knowing the purpose of being alive. Are we alive to grow fat on money we steal from other people or are we alive to be useful to ourselves and others?” he asked.
Kyambogo was established in 2003 under the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act after merging Uganda National Institute of Special Education, the Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo and the Institute of Teacher Education, Kyambogo. Since then, the institution has been entangled in a management crisis amid corruption allegations and incessant strikes by both students and lecturers.
In response to Prof Kagonyera’s remarks, Mr Alex Kagume, the deputy executive director of the National Council for Higher Education, the body that accredits universities, said the challenges the institution faces are synonymous with all public universities.
For instance, he said since public universities are underfunded, strikes are frequent and administrators grapple with scarce resources to deliver quality education.
Education minister Jessica Alupo sounded surprised by Prof Kagonyera’s statement. “When we were at Kyambogo University graduation in January, he said Prof Katunguka had helped to take it up,” Ms Alupo said.
Kyambogo VC Eli Katunguka appealed to Prof Kagonyera, whom he described as a mentor, to support the institution and make it a better place.
He also cited the challenge of underfunding and human resource.
“Institutions begin and go through challenges. This university has grown from what it was in 2003 and has a big potential. We advocate for support for us to grow,” Prof Katunguka said in an interview.