Government to pay fees for closed Busoga varsity students
What you need to know:
- Move. A team of officials from the NCHE has been dispatched to authenticate the students’ academic documents so that they can be relocated to different universities.
JINJA/IGANGA. The government has announced plans of footing tuition for all students of Busoga University who were affected by its closure.
The students have since December 2017 been stranded following the revocation of the university’s operational licence by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) for allegedly recruiting unqualified staff, teaching unaccredited courses, among other irregularities.
The State minister for Higher Education, Mr John Chrysostom Muyingo, on Wednesday said government will now pay tuition for only those with genuine academic records.
Mr Muyingo, who is also the chairperson of the university’s transition committee, was speaking at the opening of a three-day dialogue on the status of research at the Civil Service College in Jinja.
Appeal to parents
“We appeal to parents and students to cooperate with the team from NCHE so that those who will qualify will be taken to accredited universities.
‘‘Government has undertaken to pay their tuition to ensure that they complete their studies,” Mr Muyingo said.
He added that a team of officials from the NCHE has been dispatched to authenticate the students’ academic documents so that they can be relocated to different accredited universities.
Mr Muyingo, however, warned parents against enrolling their students at Busoga University until it becomes operational.
His caution comes amid reports that the university has reportedly been recruiting and teaching students despite several warnings from NCHE.
Audit queries
According to Mr Muyingo, a team of officials from the Auditor General’s office has been dispatched to establish what government is taking over in terms of property, indebtedness and resources so that they can start the repayment process.
It is alleged that the university had mortgaged its campus land and other assets for a loan before its closure.
In January 2018, President Museveni directed the Minister of Education, Ms Janet Museveni, that government takes over Mountains of the Moon and Busoga universities.
The government then established a committee headed by Mr Muyingo to spearhead the processes of taking over Busoga University as a public institution.
Busoga University, affiliated to Busoga Diocese under the Church of Uganda, was founded in 1999 with its main campus located in Iganga Town.
