TWO YEARS AT HOME? Uncertainty As Museveni Ignores Freshers During Address

Anxiety has already kicked in amongst freshers who were warming up to join campus life after spending nearly two years in vacation. Freshers’ hopes were on Thursday night shattered by President Museveni when he declined to give guidance when first year students in university will report for studies.

During his address, Museveni revealed that universities will be allowed to reopen in March in a staggered manner, adding that scientists will be given first priority to study on campus. 

It remains unclear whether freshers offering science courses will be allowed to report as well come March 2021.

The discussion about freshers’ need to learn on-campus and get used to online studies has kicked off as some stakeholders believe first year students should be treated like lower classes of P.6, S.3 and S.5 who were allowed to resume studies on 1^stMarch following their inability to study online. 

Makerere, Busitema  and other universities had already scheduled orientation for their first year students. Makerere later postponed the orientation to an unknown date following the uncertainty about reopening. 

The delay in reopening affects continuing students equally since universities were closed last year in March as a way of slowing the spread of COVID-19.