Museveni installs Muni varsity VC, rebuffs arts courses again

President Museveni hands over instruments of power to the newly installed Muni University chancellor, Dr Eric Adriko, on Monday in Arua. Photo by Felix Warom Okello

What you need to know:

  • Accusing some universities of failure to heed his advice on marketable courses, President Museveni commended Mbarara University for listening to his advice.
  • Muni University was started in 2009 but was handed statutory instruments in 2013.
  • The university requested government to provide Shs15 billion for its 20 year-strategic development plan

ARUA. President Museveni on Monday echoed his long-held view that some universities continue to teach courses, mainly in the humanities, which do not add value to students.
The President’s comments made at the instalment ceremony of the new Muni University’s chancellor, recalled his past criticisms levelled at the humanities which he essentially said were useless.
He at one time blamed the high rate of unemployment in the country on such courses.
Mr Museveni again made the case for science education, instead of promoting what he called unmarketable courses like conflict resolution and psychology.

“I have been having problems with higher institutions of learning because they just start courses without a clear aim and consultation. Like courses on conflict resolution and development studies, why don’t you put these papers under political science? To study conflict resolution as a course? What will people do if the conflicts are solved?” Mr Museveni asked.
Accusing some universities of failure to heed his advice on marketable courses, President Museveni commended Mbarara University for listening to his advice. Mbarara University scrapped development studies as a course following the President’s criticisms.

“You hardly see a graduate from Mbarara University walking on the streets looking for a job,” President Museveni said.
“We still have shortage of science teachers to serve the growing population. Muni University should ensure quality and purpose-driven courses. Don’t just educate people to learn and speak Latin,” he added.
The President noted that there are many unmarketable courses offered by public universities and attributed this to failure by the Ministry of Education, now headed by his wife, Ms Janet Museveni, to give proper career guidance to students. He was, however, quick to say that there is now improvement in the ministry of Education.

The new chancellor, Dr Eric Adriko, said they would ensure quality education for students.
“We offer cross-cutting courses to strengthen graduate’s moral values and professionalism and perfect their socio-economic capacities that make students grow holistically,” Dr Adriko said.
Ms Museveni while speaking at the function said: “Higher education has expanded since 1986 and we now have nine public universities with enrolment of 110,000 students.”
“This university should help our brothers and sisters from neighbouring DR Congo and South Sudan to utilise it under the spirit of pan Africanism,” she added.

About muni university

Muni University was started in 2009 but was handed statutory instruments in 2013. The university, which received its first in-take in November 2014, now has 343 students.
The university requested government to provide Shs15 billion for its 20 year-strategic development plan.
The university offers several courses including Bachelor of Science in information technology, Bachelor of Information systems, Bachelor of Science with education and Bachelor of Nursing Science, among others.