The Auditor General’s report has exposed a concerning trend in Uganda’s higher education system, disclosing that five public universities in the country are currently offering a total of 222 expired courses. The institutions implicated in this unsettling finding include Makerere University, Kyambogo University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Makerere University Business School (MUBS), and Gulu University.
According to the report, Makerere University tops the list with 120 expired courses, followed by Kyambogo University with 63, Mbarara University of Science and Technology with 21, Makerere University Business School with 15, and Gulu University with 3.
The Auditor General’s analysis, which scrutinized programs across these universities, exposed a shocking reality. Out of the 629 courses offered, only 332 were accredited. Additionally, 138 programs had been submitted to the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) for accreditation, leaving a significant gap of 222 courses that were not accredited.
The Auditor General, John Muwanga on Tuesday morning handed over the annual audit report for Financial Year ending June 2023, in which he details how Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) spent the money that was allocated to them in FY2022/23.
The report further emphasized the urgency of addressing this critical issue, as the existence of expired courses raises concerns about the quality of education provided by these institutions.
This comes after the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) set November 30th 2023 as the deadline for all higher institutions of learning to submit their academic programs for review.
Prof Mary Okwakol, executive director of NCHE said the resolution was made during the 71st NCHE’s council meeting and failure to comply will result in a ban on student enrollment.
