Makerere University Students Go On Strike

The Anti-riot Police has been deployed at Makerere University to contain students who have gone on strike.

The striking students who are engaged in running battles with the Police are protesting the administration’s directive to have 100% of their tuition paid within the first six weeks of the semester.
They stormed the main building waving placards inscribed “we need more time to pay tuition.”
The university’s main gate has also been closed to bar students from causing havoc in the neighbouring business centers.
The students are demanding that the administration addresses their grievances.

The university administration last semester announced it had deferred the 100 per cent tuition payment policy to this semester as consultations continued.
At a press conference in March this year, university Deputy Vice Chancellor Ernest Okello Ogwang stated: “Management has received an appeal by students to review the council policy on 100 per cent fees policy by the sixth week of the semester.”

“Therefore, following consultations with the chairperson of council and other stakeholders, this is to inform all students that the policy for Semester One of 2014/2015 will apply for the Second Semester 2014/2015,” Prof Ogwang said.
The strike comes barely a month after the university repositioned herself as a research-led university. It’s because of this, according to Ritah Namisango, the institution’s senior publicist, that Makerere University is the only local tertiary institution that made it to the 12th edition of the annual QS World University Rankings.