Universties risk closure over expired licences
Kampala. At least 26 private universities across the country risk closure after the National Council for Higher Education revealed that their provisional licences had expired.
The council yesterday gave the affected universities a grace period of one year to obtain a charter or be closed.
The NCHE also said the provisional licenses for 11 universities were about to expire. The affected universities met NCHE in Kampala in a closed-door meeting and requested for more time to put the facilities in place.
According to the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act, a charter is “granted by the President as evidence that the university meets the requirements and standards of academic excellence set by the NCHE.”
Dr Pamela Tibihikirra-Kalyegira, the director of quality assurance and accreditation at NCHE, said majority of the universities had expired provisional licences and have been operating without the statutory charter.
She said the council had invited the managers of more than 40 private universities to agree on a roadmap for attaining the charter within the given 12 months, or they close.
She said for a university to attain a charter, it should admit qualified students for specific programmes, have all their programmes accredited, have good facilities, PhD staff and should also conduct research and community services.
Dr Tibihikirra also said the universities that will miss the deadline will either be merged, closed or be turned into vocational institutions.
Dr Pius Achanga, a senior higher education officer at NCHE, said only 18 universities out of 53 across the country have been able to obtain the charter status.
The NCHE acting executive director, Dr Alex Kamuge, said the council has previously closed down various universities while others opted out voluntarily.
Dr Kamuge cited Busoga University, which he said was closed down because it was operating not only with a provisional licence, but also had unqualified lecturers and running courses which were not accredited.
Others include Lugazi, Fair Land and Strafford universities.
He however warned that that even the licence of universities which have obtained the charter can be revoked any time by NCHE if they flout the set guidelines.
The NCHE and the Office of the Auditor General have released separate reports indicating that most universities where operating below the set standards . The NCHE indicated that majority of universities were teaching unaccredited courses, had unqualified staff, few students and had poor infrastructure.
What the law says.
According to the Universities and other tertiary institutions Act, section 97(3), a provisional license issued to a private university shall be valid for at least three years from the date of publication of the gazette by the national council.
A charter is granted to universities that have demonstrated high quality in staffing, teaching and learning, research, extension services, infrastructural development and good governance among others.
But the law does not stipulate the penalties of universities that will not be able to obtain a charter after three years.
Some of the Universities operating with provisional licenses
1. Africa Renewal University 2013
2. African Bible University 2015
3. African Rural University 2011
5. Ankole Western University 2008
6. Avance International University 2016
7. Cavendish University 2018
8. Clarke International University 2008
9 Ibanda University 2014
11. International Business, Science & Technology (ISBAT) University 2011
12. International University of East Africa 2010
13. Islamic Call University College 2011
14. Kayiwa International University 2015
15. Kumi University 2004
16. Livingstone International University 2011
17. Metropolitan International University (MIU)2011
18. Muteesa I Royal University 2007
19. Nile University 2018
20. Nsaka University 2013
22. St. Lawrence University2007
25. Uganda Pentecostal University 2005
26. University of Kisubi 2009
Source NCHE
