BREAKING! Gulu University Closed, Exams Cancelled

Today Monday 4^th December, was the day slated for examinations to start in Gulu University. The time table was fully drawn and presented a month ago. Just like in the old days, examinations moods had already set in with students spending sleepless nights in order to deliver the goods come the D-day. However, due to a strike staged by the academic staff under their association GUASA, reason being  they have not been paid their allowances and workload fee for the entire second semester 2016/2017. “Dialogues were made several times but in vain, the administration has kept on promising and pushing dates till a point when we can’t take it anymore,” said the chairperson GUASA in a meeting with the GRC’s yesterday.

At the end of the meeting, GRC’s stood still with the amendments put forward during a meeting on Thursday. “Examinations have to start on Monday and failure to do that, a general assembly (GA) was to be called.” However, the dean of students also did issue a notice calling off the GA, and this was no excuse that the leaders could put up with.

Today morning, the Dean faculty of Medicine had said examinations for the medics would go on as planned. By, 9:00 a.m. examinations had already started at Faculty of Medicine (FOM). However, students from main campus went there in protest and at the end of it all, lecturers flew from the site leaving students no choice but flee from examination rooms.

Currently as I write, it’s bullets, tear gas speaking at main campus. (some tear gas bottles are expired) Students are chanting “we want examinations while lecturers are saying “no examinations before payment” (the examinations were pushed to Wednesday 6^th).  Police cars are patrolling around and students are not seated still because, according to the recent engagements, the administration has a doctorate in giving promises of payment which tends to delay I would, yet students having cleared stand their ground to demand for the services.  All in all we keep waiting and we shall see what happens on Wednesday. It’s a sure deal campus bee got you covered.

By CLARE NASSUUNA