The Makerere University fees policy committee that was set up by government to investigate into the matter has handed over it’s final report with reforms. The committee in its report presented to the Prime Minister last evening asked the institution’s management to give incentives to students who complete their tuition by the sixth week of a semester to encourage others who have been defying the fees policy.
The committee chairperson, Mr Thomas Tayebwa was appointed last month to look at the university’s fees policy requested the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda to implement such incentives if they are to find a lasting solution to frequent strikes by students opposing management’s effort to implement the fees policy in the last five years.
In the new fees policy, continuing students shall be required to pay at least Shs200,000 by the third week of a semester. Students who fail to meet this shall pay a fine charge of Shs20,000 for late payment against management’s earlier proposal of Shs100,000.
Whether or not the students have paid fees, it was also agreed that the university allows them to register and in case they do not do so by the third week, a fine of Shs50,000 be levied. Although the university management wants students who fail to complete tuition by the 12th week to pay a fine of five per cent of the total tuition, Mr Tayebwa said this should only apply on the balance reports The Daily Monitor.
The committee also recommend that registration is de-linked from payment of fees and all students shall register by the third week. “You students have been using your phones for Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook. You should now use them to register in time,” Mr Tayebwa said yesterday.
The university Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ddumba Ssentamu, pledged to implement the recommendations which, according to the Council chairman, Prof Charles Wana-Etyem, will be adopted before the new semester begins in August.
Source: Daily Monitor
