As several universities prepare to resume studies for final-year students in October as advised by President Museveni, four Ugandan universities of Kyambogo, Uganda Christian University (UCU), Kampala University and Clarke University have temporarily suspended evening lectures in a bid to beat the COVID-19 curfew.
While speaking to the press recently, the Kyambogo University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Eli Katunguka disclosed that the university has always had three lecture sessions, starting from 8.00 am to 7.00 pm.
He further revealed that the current circumstances dictate having only one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, in a bid to give students time to beat curfew that starts at 9:00pm.
“We have developed a time table that will limit teaching students in the evening, when universities reopen,” Katunguka said.
According to Katunguka, Kyambogo expects 11,943 finalists to start lectures on October 19 and teaching will take four weeks, after which exams will held for two weeks, starting November 16.
While speaking on the same matter, Julius Ssekatawa, the public relations officer of Kampala University revealed that students studying under the evening programme will be shifted to the weekend programme. Kampala University has further advised finalists to buy their own masks instead of relying on the promised masks by the government.
“Students who have been studying under the evening programme will be shifted to the weekend programme, so that they are not disturbed by the curfew,” Ssekatawa said.
Frank Obonyo, the communications officer at Uganda Christian University has disclosed that only 20% of the finalists will reside at the university since 80% of the students are studying online. Students who cannot log in will receive exams via email.
“We are working with an internet service provider to log on students so that they can access university Wi-Fi wherever they are. Since all our students have e-learning accounts, students access exams on their e-learning platforms,” Obonyo explained.
Rose Clarke Nanyonga, the Vice-Chancellor of Clarke International University said that until curfew time is adjusted, they will not be able to run classes in the evening, adding that majority of the evening students are going to be integrated into the day schedule.
As most universities are struggling to schedule lessons in the evening, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe has assured that the university is ready to hold all classes.
