Tuition crisis: Over 700 Makerere students seek help

Over 700 Makerere University financially constrained students are seeking assistance to raise money to pay their tuition debts which date back to over two academic years.

Some of the students reached out to their leaders through a campaign dubbed ‘Save a Makererean’, which was launched last month by students’ leaders, aimed at reducing the number of dropouts due to lack of tuition fees.

Mr Robert Maseruka, the institution’s guild president, said most of the students owe the university millions of shillings.  

“When we speak about 700 [students it] doesn’t mean that each student owes one million [shillings]. Some people owe over ten million [shilings]. You find someone has never paid since year one and ask how they have been doing exams,” Mr Maseruka said on November 24 during a car wash exercise at the university that was aiming to raise the students’ tuition fees.

The statistics from the students’ leaders shows that about 1,000 students drop out annually at Makerere after failing to secure tuition fees and other necessities. In addition, about 3,000 students failed to sit for their exams last semester over the same issue.

To address this problem, on November 25, students led by their guild president commenced a car wash exercise at the institution’s Mosque and over shs300, 000 was collected from the 16 cars and 4 bikes that were washed.

Mr Maseruka said although they did not achieve their target to raise a million shillings that day, they are still optimistic that their one billion campaign target will be attained so that they can bail out their fellow students who urgently need the tuition fees.

The campaign involves doing different activities such as car washes, students run, as well as breakfast meetings and dinners that invite all stakeholders to respond to this cause.

The guild president revealed that the state Minister of Finance for investment and privatization, Ms Evelyn Anite pledged to support 15 students who are struggling to raise their tuition fees.

“I will also be meeting the speaker of parliament on Monday [November 27] over the same issue because we also want the 100 percent tuition policy to be brought down. If a student can pay 50 percent or 60 percent of tuition they are being demanded, they should be able to sit for exams,” he added.

He appealed to all stakeholders such as Members of Parliament, religious leaders, alumni, civil society organizations, companies and among others to come out and support these struggling students.