The administrators appearing on behalf of Kyambogo University engineering faculty made it express to the parliamentary committee that they intend to import “BaCuba” to help their students with their engineering classes and practicals.
This comes days after the president announced that a donation package of Cuban doctors was on its way to Uganda to help curb the labour shortage at the Mulago National Referral Hospital as a result of the doctors’ strike which left many patients in critical condition unattended to. The few pros and cons that have emerged thus far;
First and foremost, I would like to congratulate my peeps over at the Banda institute for this amazing “in-the-pipeline” achievement. This is a huge stride towards improving the schools’ products and reputation.
The Cuban lecturers not only bring with them loads of expertise and exposure but also improved techniques and methods as regards research and various hands-on approaches that will be of big benefit to the engineers and those aspiring to take on the course at the university.
The process also shows a positive gesture by the institute towards the drive for educational reforms in the country. It further indicates the university’s willingness to adopt to the changes and to ensure that they forward credible engineers to the job market.
The relationship between the two countries, Uganda and Cuba are expected to be strengthened through this process. This gives room to extended exchange of labour force and improved ties between the education sectors bilaterally and this one can tell from the sarcasm and trolls that have been running on various twitter handles.
On the other hand, the employment of Cuban lecturers means increased unemployment for our own who will be displaced as and when the administration deems fit. This will suppress their ability to exercise their industrial action like strikes for raised pay when need arises.
The Cubans lack experience in the syllabus and are likely to face communication challenges since most of the Kyambogo students are familiar and prefer local phrases. The tutorial modules and materials used are a hell-lot different, trust me they will confuse our Kyambogo students.
The fact that these bacuba aren’t used to rolex and kikomando is a con, this means more funding to be diverted towards these lecturers to set up structures, facilities for these “new comers” and this in other ways increases the burden on the tax payer (you and me) given that this is a government institute.
The pretty Cuban ladies we have been watching on television better not come around because our boys will carry their whoopers in-hand full time. This will murder the attention span of the lads, emotional torture and God knows whatever.
Kudos to the Kyambogo administration, now let’s watch the space and see what these “baCuba” will impact on the crisis.
By Raymond Amumpaire
Disclaimer: Views expressed here are personal
