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Relief as Kyambogo releases academic papers of stranded teachers
The Kyambogo University Vice Chancellor, Prof Eli Katunguka, addresses journalists in Kampala on November 2, 2023. PHOTO/ ISAAC KASAMANI
What you need to know:
- The university is mandated to award qualifications for academic programmes run by NTCs across the country.
Kyambogo University has released academic documents of thousands of teachers from the five National Teachers Colleges (NTCs) across the country who have been stuck over an unpaid debt of more than Shs2.6b.
The university’s decision comes after the Education ministry agreed to clear the debt, which dates back to 2017.
Addressing journalists at the institution yesterday, the vice chancellor, Prof Eli Katunguka, revealed that the Education ministry has agreed to clear the debt within the two financial years of 2023/2024 and 2024/2025.
“Year in and year out, the Auditor General has been fluttering Kyambogo University for failing to collect this money because it is due to the university,” he said.
“Now that the Ministry of Education and Sports has agreed to take over the debt and they have communicated that decision to us, we have instructed the academic registrar to release all the academic documents to these institutions,” Prof Katunguka added.
The affected NTCs are Kabale NTC, which has a debt of Shs647.7m; Muni NTC (Shs839.44m), Unyama NTC in Gulu, (Shs428.32m), Kaliro NTC (Shs361.26m), and Mubende NTC (Shs394m)
The Kyambogo vice chancellor urged the affected students from the NTCs to pick their academic documents from the university so that they plan to undertake bachelor’s degrees as the minimum academic qualification required as per the new National Teachers Policy.
“Going forward, any student either in National Teachers College or Primary Teachers College that needs to pay Kyambogo University will do so through the new ACMIS system,” he added.
Kyambogo University was established in 2003 as a merger of the former Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo (UPK), the Institute of Teacher Education, Kyambogo (ITEK), and the Uganda National Institute of Special Education (UNISE).
The university is mandated to award qualifications for academic programmes run by NTCs across the country.
At yesterday’s press briefing, Prof Katunguka also lauded the media for exposing the vices of marks for sale and sexual harassment, which have put the university in the spotlight in recent days.
“We invite anyone with information on these two matters to come forward and give an opportunity to the management to address these issues through its established channels and procedures,” he said.
The university is also bracing for its 19th graduation ceremony slated for December 6 to December 8, and the management has set November 8 as the deadline for all students to clear for the function.
“They should abide by this because the committee at the senate are going to sit and approve the final list and once the meeting has taken place, then we close,” the vice chancellor said.
