Government-sponsored students at Lira University rose up in arms Monday over unpaid allowances and what they called “unfair treatment” by the university leadership.
Carrying placards bearing different information, the students started their march from their hostels demanding faculty allowance, internship fees, and recess allowance amounting to about Shillings 750,00. The money is part of the Shillings 1.47 million disbursed by the government to facilitate them.
However, the walk was halted by police under the leadership of Joseph Bakaleke, the Lira City Divisional Police Commander who stopped the walk before matching the students to a hall for a dialogue between them, the university administration, and security.
Kule Ronald Mbinga, the Lira University Guild Secretary explained that students are made to pay internship fees to facilitate lecturers who go to supervise them yet the money is meant to facilitate the interns. Additionally that the university has also increased tuition fees for private students, which is causing friction between the students and their parents.
They also accused the administration of not only failing to account for UGX 14 million allocated from the guild fund to install security lights on the University roads but also sports fees, which they pay per semester without any sporting activity taking place.
In his response, Professor Jasper Ogwal Okeng, the university Vice Chancellor explained that the government has been sending money for only 100 students under government sponsorship despite having a bigger number than that.
According to Ogwal Okeng, the University receives very little funding, which strains its operation.
Similarly, Hassan Hagabi, the University Bursar explained that the money being given to government-sponsored students is from the very first budget to kick-start the operations of Lira University.
Responding to the alleged tuition increment, Geoffrey Angela, the Academic Registrar said the university has not increased its tuition fees and advised students whose portal reflects an increase in tuition to report to his office for redress.
Whereas Jamesbond Opok, the sports tutor who doubles as the university’s warden explained that it is the responsibility of the students to request the available sports equipment from the office, saying the university cannot force students to play games.