As parents continue to suffer from effects of the COVID-19 lockdown, Dickens Otim, the Lira University guild president has openly asked the government to suspend some policies in universities in a bid to allow students to pay at least 50% as a commitment fee and pay the balance towards graduation.
According to Otim, COVID-19 sent everyone in panic and anxiety which made parents to spend the little savings on stocking food.
While talking to New Vision, the Makerere University Business School (MUBS) guild president, Romulus Tusingwire also said many students will drop out of campus if universities want them to first clear the tuition fully.
According to Tusingwire, many finalists are wondering how they are going to clear tuition following President Museveni’s directive to allow them resume and later do papers.
“We have those students who paid tuition before we were sent home, and those who paid in installments. We want to know whether universities will demand payment of the full amount or not,” Tusingwire said.
“There are many unanswered questions and we request government through the ministry of education and sports to consider some of these interjections in the planning phase,” he added.
Kyambogo guild speaker, Brian Kidega urged the Uganda National Students Association to request the government to give parents more time to make money.
“Because of the pandemic, economic activities have been halted, so it is not going to be possible for parents and students to pay tuition. Many are non-essential workers so they were sent on forced leave while others receive half pay.’’ Kidega said.
Information reaching Campus Bee indicates that 250 students are stuck at MUBS hostels and rentals after the president closed all universities over COVID-19. 50 of these are foreigners coming from Kenya, Tanzanians, and South Sudan.
