AG Kiryowa directs on running of LDC

Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka has rendered a legal opinion on how the Law Development Centre (LDC) can effectively be run.

In his October 25 legal opinion, Mr Kiryowa said both the Law Council and the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) can complement each other in supervising the LDC.

He added: “While the Law Council may continue to exercise its supervisory role and control of the centre for the purpose of professional legal education … It does not stop the NCHE to regulate the Centre as a tertiary institution by determining the governance and management structure, setting standards for admission of students, accrediting academic and professional programmes in consultation with the Law Council.” 

Mr Kiryowa’s statement was rendered in reference to a meeting held at the NCHE on October 11.

He had been tasked to render a legal opinion on the supervisory powers over LDC by NCHE on the transition of the institution under the ambit of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act.

Some of the questions that the Attorney General had to render his legal opinion on included whether LDC is a tertiary institution within the meaning of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2001.

He was also expected to render his opinion on who is the rightful regulator of LDC.

Education experts have, however, warned of challenges that might sprout from the complimentary supervision role as a result of the LDC being run by the Law Council and the NCHE.

An official from NCHE, who declined to be named, said one of the sticking points is that while previous ordinary diplomas issued by LDC are run on a one-year programme, diploma courses supervised by NCHE span two years.

“So all the one-year diplomas which have been awarded by LDC in law are in effect null and void since, as per NCHE standards, the diploma should be two years,” the education expert warned.

When contacted, the director of the LDC, Mr Frank Nigel Othembi, gave nothing away on account that the matter “is a subject of correspondences between the Attorney General and the Law Council.”

LDC

Law Development Centre (LDC)  is the only institution in Uganda that offers the Bar Course, leading to the award of the post-graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. 

In Uganda, one cannot represent a litigant in court without a post-graduate diploma certificate from LDC.