Makerere University Business School (Mubs) has petitioned Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, seeking Parliament’s intervention into the continued closure of Makerere University.
Prof Arthur Ahimbisibwe, the Mubs academic staff chairperson said more than 5,000 students who sat their final exams risk missing out on graduation if Makerere remains under key and lock.
“We fear for our students whose fate remains uncertain after several years of learning. We cannot confirm whether or not they will graduate,” he said.
Prof Ahimbisibwe also wants Parliament to support MUBs gain autonomy from Makerere University, saying that the institution meets all requisite qualifications.
“We have more than 1,600 students and more than 19 bachelor programmes, and 16 masters programmes and several affiliations,” he said, adding: “We have many visiting professors and several partnerships.”
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Mubs, despite her semi-autonomy, remains under Makerere University for the award of degrees, and doctorates for business-related disciplines.
Cabinet on April 25, 2012, granted the nakawa-based institution an independent status from Makerere, a position that would see her transformed into a degree-awarding institution. However, four years down the road, this status has never been operationalised.
Meanwhile the Speaker referred the matter to Parliament’s committee on Education and Sports for handling.
Kadaga said the issues raised require urgent attention but government is yet to table the Bill operationalising the Cabinet decision.
“I have instructed the chairperson of the Education committee to invite them (MUBS) for a public hearing such that by the time the Bill comes to Parliament, we are ready to receive it and give it due attention,” she said.
The Mubs administration claim that limiting the institution at only degree awards is undesirable.
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“What we want is either to become an independent university or remain what we are, we don’t feel like achieving that inferior position of a degree-awarding institute,” Prof Ahimbisibwe said.
He adds that the status will only limit them to the standard of Uganda Management Institute and deny the university of any benefits associated to a fully-fledged university.