Exam Fever in Kyambogo University as Strike Rages on

Continuing students at Kyambogo University are worried about the forthcoming examinations due to the ongoing lecturer’s strike. The academic staff laid down their tools to compel the government to give them their salary enhancement shortly before students resumed studies following an eight months unprecedented closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The lecturers have stayed away since the students returned leaving them in despair. The absence of lecturers has raised concern among students, some of whom haven’t completed their course units. Unlike their counterparts at other universities, students of Kyambogo didn’t have any form of learning during the lockdown, which started in March 2020. 

Mary Kisakye, a second-year student of Computer studies wonders how the university will run the exams without lecturers. Kisakye is also worried about getting last-minute pressure to accomplish course works and do exams at the same time in case lecturers decided to resume teaching.  

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Another student pursuing a Bachelors of Accounting and Finance, who asked for anonymity to freely speak on the matter said, “It is too much pressure for us to do both revision and self-teaching of what lecturers had not covered before lockdown.”   

The student says he is relying on lecture notes and handouts they received before the lockdown as well as making use of discussion groups to cover what the lecturers had not.   

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Emmanuel Lumumba, a student of Civil Engineering says that they have so far had one lecture, which took place on Monday. He feels the absence of lecturers will cause them to fail exams for lack of guidance if the strike continues. 

Despite the student’s grievances, Dr. Mugisha Mutabazi, the chairperson of Kyambogo University Academic Staff Association insists that teaching will not take place at the university as they are part of the industrial action in public universities.

“We are not teaching because there is a nationwide strike, which was declared in May but was suspended temporarily to allow third-year students to complete their studies. It was lifted again on February 6 and there is no question about it,” Dr. Mugisha said. 

Professor Eli Katunguka, the Kyambogo University vice-chancellor told URN that management had taken note of the crisis and would meet the striking staff so that they reach an amicable resolution to help the students.  According to the university timetable, end of semester exams for continuing students will start on March 22, 2021, and run to April 11, 2021.