Govt makes U-turn on closure of universities over census

The government has reversed its position regarding the closure of universities nationwide to allow for the National Population and Housing Census that starts today.

Initially, the Ministry of Education and Sports had requested universities to close on May 9, to allow their students to participate in the national population and housing census.

However, several universities, both public and private, expressed alarm at the call, with many arguing that it would disorganise the academic calendars.

And now, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ms Ketty Lamaro, said after consultations with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos), it was concluded that institutions can remain operational during the census exercise.

“After consulting Ubos, it was determined that institutions could continue operations, with the assurance that students would be accurately enumerated at their present locations,” Ms Lamaro said in a recent telephone interview.

The Vice Chancellor of Kyambogo University and chairperson of the Public Universities Forum, Prof Elly Katunguka, explained the challenges faced in aligning university schedules with the national census.

He stressed that with exams looming, they could only afford a brief closure, allowing students to participate in the census from their villages.

“We’ll close only on May 9 and 10 to accommodate students wanting to be counted in their hometowns. Afterward, exams will proceed as planned. A 10-day closure is financially burdensome,” Prof Katunguka said.

Makerere plan

 Makerere University, which had bowed to the request, and had initially planned a 10-day break, reversed course, opting for exams a week before the census, following similar concerns.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor-in-charge of Academic Affairs at Makerere University, Prof Umar Kakumba said they had planned to start their exams on May 20 after the census, but later realised that it would be expensive for the institution to break for 10 days and then reopen.

According to him, it would make the semester long, and this would have a financial implication as the government-sponsored students would ask for extra living out allowance.

 “We resolved to start our exams on May 29 to ensure that our semester is not tempered with. As we talk right now, some of our students have completed their exams,” Prof Kakumba said.

“We shall break off for three days from May 8 to 10. The students who would not have finished their exams will return and complete their papers,” he added. The Vice Chancellor of Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Prof Celestino Obua, agreed with his counterparts that the census coincides with a critical period when many universities are doing exams.

He highlighted the institution’s coordination with Ubos to facilitate student enumeration within their hall of residences.

“Only a brief two-day break will be instituted to accommodate students opting to be counted from their hometowns,” said Prof Obua.

In contrast to universities with impending examinations, Kampala International University has commenced its new academic year 2024/2025 this week.

Conversely, institutions such as Busitema University and Equator University of Science and Technology have concluded their semesters and commenced holiday breaks. Consequently, their students will be enumerated from their respective homes.

Trend

The 6th post-independence census is slated to start today, which has been designated a public holiday to enable working citizens, guests, and refugees to be at their places of abode where enumerators will find them. Meanwhile, students from primary and secondary schools are already on holiday, hence will be counted from their homes.