Kyambogo to phase out 47 courses

Some of the courses include certificate in adult and community education, certificate in deaf blindness, and certificate in science laboratory technology, among others.
Last week, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Eli Katunguka, confirmed the proposal, saying the university will concentrate on bachelors, masters and doctorate courses.
Prof Katunguka said the certificate and diploma programmes were inherited from Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo and Institute for Teacher Education. “They are highly demanded programmes and very central to skilling the youth but we are under pressure to phase out these programmes if we are to develop into a research active university,” Prof Katunguka said.

He added that the idea is to expedite reforms needed to create knowledge through research and innovation because the courses are also run in other vocational training institutions.
Prof Katunguka said the university management is expected to present a catalogue of affected courses before the senate in March next year to make the final decision.

“We want to ensure that this decision is reached upon by the university senate before new academic year 2020/2021 which starts in August so that we do not advertise them,” Prof Katunguka said.
Prof Mary Gorreti Namusoke, the deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, said once the senate approves the proposal, the council will endorse it.

“When senate makes the final decision on the matter, the university council will pronounce itself on the same and the university will stop advertising those courses. This is not the first time we are phasing out some courses, so people should not panic,” Ms Namusoke said, adding that the continuing students will be given time to complete their courses.

Prof Namusoke also said the lecturers who have been teaching the affected courses will not lose their jobs since they are also handling bachelor’s degree programmes.
“The lecturers are safe, they will keep their jobs. They will use the time they have been spending on diploma and certificate students to conduct research and publish it,” she said.

The guild deputy speaker, Ms Helen Nimusiima, said the reforms will give a chance to other upcoming universities to major in those small courses.
“Kyambogo started with those small courses at its interception, but since they have now grown, they should concentrate on big things and leave the diploma and certificates to other small universities since they are easy and cheap to manage,” Ms Nimusiima said.

AFFECTED COURSES

CERTIFICATE COURSES
1. Adult and community education.
2. Deaf blindness
3. Science laboratory technology
4. Food processing technology.
5. Early childhood development

DIPLOMA COURSES
1. Accounting and finance
2.Interior design
3.Hotel and institutional catering
4.Ceramics
5.Fashion and apparel
6. Education secondary (Home economics)
7.Education secondary (Art and design)
8.Deaf studies
9. Science technology-Physics
10.Science and technology-chemistry
11. Science technology-biology
12. Diploma Food processing technology
13. Material and ceramic science technology
14. Sports and management
15. Textile design and technology
16.Computer science
17.Electrical engineering
18. Civil and building engineering
19. Civil building and engineering
20. Mechanical engineering
21. Computer engineering
22. Water engineering
23.Architecture
24.Automobile engineering
25.Refrigeration and air condition
26. Telecommunication engineering
27. Biomedical engineering
28. Automobile engineering
29. Education secondary (Technological studies)
30. Education (Early childhood development)
31. Instructor and technical teacher education.
32. Education primary external
33. Special needs education
34. Library and information
35. Education secondary (French)
36. Microfinance
37. Music and theatre arts
38. Accounting finance
39. Sign language interpreting
40. Community based rehabilitation.
41. Guidance and cancelling
42. Education planning and management

[email protected]