Equator varsity students boycott exams over tuition impasse

Students at the Masaka-based Equator University of Science and Technology (EQUSaT) have boycotted sitting end- of -semester examinations, protesting the new zero balance fees policy.
The policy introduced by the university council  this semester did not go down well with the students, forcing them to stage  a protest  involving even those who were cleared  to sit for the examinations.
  
According to the university exam timetable, second year students  were supposed to start their exams on Monday, April 22 but students refused to turn up for the examinations, saying that the new  policy is  unfair to their colleagues with financial constraints and they joined the protest to stand in  solidarity with them.

The move by the students to refuse sitting examinations has however attracted bitter reactions from the university authorities, forcing them to issue warning letters to students, asking them to show cause why they skipped the papers or else disciplinary action will be taken against them.
 In one of the warning letters seen by this publication addressed to one of the students of Bachelors of Medicine, Jean  Paul Ishimwe of Fundamentals of Immunology on Monday afternoon, he was given “two hours “from the receipt of the letter to give explanations why he adamantly refused to appear and write the examination.

“…this letter, therefore, serves to ask you to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for failure to turn up and sit the examinations. You are expected to provide your response within two hours upon receipt of this letter,” a letter dated April 22 and signed by Eng. Usama Kassaga, the acting Vice-Chancellor reads in part .
The defiant students have however, asked the University Guild Council to intervene and sit with the university administration to address their concerns.
In an open letter to the University Guild Council, the students  asked the students body to initiate discussions with the administration to reconsider the implementation of the zero balance fees policy.

“ …inaction is not an option when the educational opportunities of our fellow students are at stake .I implore the guild to take swift and decisive action to address this pressing issue and ensure that all students have the opportunity to thrive academically ,regardless of their financial circumstances ,”  the letter reads in part.

EQUSaT Guild President, Mr Ahmed Baryamujjura confirmed receiving the open letter from the students, saying,   he forwarded the matter to the university administration for action.
“I have received the concerns of the students and forwarded them to the relevant authorities, we are yet to get responses” he said in a telephone interview on Wednesday .  
When contacted, Eng Kasagga said he could not respond to students’ concerns as he was still busy chairing a meeting.

He promised to call back after the meeting but by press time he had not done so.
The students protest comes days after three top university officials, including the vice chancellor, Assoc. Prof Haroonah Nsubuga  left the university under unclear circumstances at the three-year-old institution.
Other officials who exited include; Mr Shaban Lukooya, the head of communications and advertising department and Mr Ronald Balimunsi ,the university systems administrator .