The Makerere University communications director Dr Muhammed Kiggundu announced yesterday that the university has hiked its law pre-entry exam fee from UGX 80,000 to a whopping shs. 110,000 starting with this academic year.
“Pre-entry exam fees have been increased to Shs110, 000 to take care of materials which the students use.”
The exams are set for this Saturday, April 13th and students are required to pay for admission to the Bachelor of Laws at the
Kiggundu’s communication has been followed by mixed reactions from critics who have revealed that the money will lock out financially disadvantaged but bright students from pursuing their dreams.
“Government universities setting their examinations is absurd. Under UNEB, assessment is done on behalf of the government. The government is creating more obstacles by allowing universities to introduce pre-entry, which is not centrally managed as UNEB. This leaves out many students who cannot access or get information since they are out of the school system at the time the tests are set,” Dr Nsubuga said.
“It is also becoming expensive for the ordinary parent. I have never supported that idea of government universities starting pre-entry examinations,” he added.
It should be recalled that the Makerere University academic registrar, Mr Alfred Masikye Namoah, invited candidates interested in offering Bachelor of Laws to apply and sit the pre-entry examinations. “All applicants interested in government sponsorship must have applied for Bachelor of Laws by filling in the government application form. Applicants interested in private sponsorship for day and evening will apply for admission after passing the pre-entry examination,” Namoah communicated in a notice.