Students doubt that the ongoing headcount at Makerere done by the visitation committee would achieve much of value to help the probe team’s investigation into the recurring strikes and financial problems at Uganda’s oldest university.
The visitation committee headed by Dr Abel Rwendeire was set up recently by President Yoweri Museveni to primarily investigate causes of strikes by both students and lecturers at Makerere University.
On Monday, January 23, the committee began a headcount to establish the exact number of students at Makerere University and their status.
“The exercise will help us establish the actual number of students and also staff. We have made this exercise very flexible to allow students come at any one time within these three weeks,” Rwendeire said.
Students are required to report at designated venues within their colleges and present their identity cards and admission letters, for continuing students. First-year students must present their registration forms with an admission letter. These are also required to present an identity card from their previous school or a national ID.
Although numbers were surging in queues across all colleges on the first day of the headcount, students still believe the exercise is a waste of time and effort.
Those interviewed dismissed the headcount as a big joke.
According to the special edition of the 2015-16 Mak fact book titled; Tracking the performance of the Makerere University Strategic Plan 2008/09-2015/16, the students’ population stood at 39,546 by the end of the academic year in June, 2016.
Jacob Eyeru, a fourth-year student of Mechanical Engineering, said the headcount may not accommodate part-time students, some of whom may have no reason to present themselves to the university, over the next three weeks.