Makerere: Medicine students protest against online lectures

Makerere University students on medicine related programmes have protested against having their lectures online when the university opens next month.

Following the Education ministry's decision to allow schools and universities to re-open in a staggered manner next month, Makerere University issued a notice that all its continuing and final year students will have their lectures online to allow for the orientation and initiation of first year students on campus.

On Monday, students stormed the university's administration building, asking to meet the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, which was not possible.

According to Ivan Ssempijja who is a student of medicine at the university, their programme cannot be studied effectively online and they want the university to allow them to hold physical lectures on campus with the first years.

"Medicine is not like any other course that you can do online. Particularly in our year, we are supposed to be seeing patients in different departments which are in different locations," Anthony Kisakye, another student said.

In her brief meeting with the students later on Monday afternoon, Winfred Kabumbuli  who is the dean of the students at the university said that the administration has taken in the student's concerns and a decision will be made on the way forward.

Kabumbuli however urged the students to be patient.

The students insisted that they will not have lectures online and that the university should find them space on campus.