The Minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni, has noted that in the next ten years, Makerere University will focus on becoming a research-intensive institution.
Ms Museveni was speaking at the 1st session of the 69th graduation ceremony of the University at the Freedom Square in Kampala. This is week-long ceremony will see 13,350 graduands receive awards in various disciplines that included Doctorates, Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates. The University will also offer certificates to the first group of graduands in defence and security studies.
‘By prioritising research, Makerere University is reclaiming its leadership position in providing solutions to challenges faced by Uganda and Africa as whole,” she said,’
She added that her Ministry is committed to strengthening the institutional capacity of higher education institutions in the country to deliver quality post graduate education and training as well as building collaborative research capacity in national priority areas like agriculture, health, education, and applied statistics.
Mrs. Museveni was pleased with the progress so far made by the government to address long-standing disputes with the staff of public universities as regards remuneration enhancement and a new structure.
She however asked lecturers in all public universities to resume duty and abandon industrial action.
“I wish to remind the leadership of different categories of staff at public universities that there is no reason what so ever for insisting on industrial action.”
“Let us not appear ungrateful or insensitive, something that has caused paralysis in operations at the public universities on account of matters for which solutions have already been found and provided,” she added.
President Museveni on the other hand asked the lecturers to repent for having little faith ‘that their things (remunerations) will be worked on”.
He however explained that the remunerations would not come magically but in tandem with the economy.
