In a show of unity and resolve, students at Kabale University in Kabale Municipality, Kabale District, staged a protest yesterday by boycotting both online and physical lectures. Their primary demand? An explanation from the university authorities regarding a recent and substantial increment in surcharge fees, which surged from 30,000 to 80,000 Ugandan shillings.
The students’ collective decision to strike resulted in a significant deployment of police forces on the university grounds, effectively preventing a planned demonstration from taking place.
The root cause of the student’s frustration lies in the ongoing surcharge increment, which they view as lacking transparency from the university administration. They’ve long grappled with unexplained surcharge hikes, and their dismay is compounded by the fact that they attend a public university where fees have been rising while the quality of services remains subpar.
Students are making a passionate plea to the university administration to address this issue and seek solutions to reduce the financial burden of surcharge fees on the student body.
In response to the mounting concerns, Tukamushaba Amos, the Dean of Students at Kabale University, acknowledged the grievances and expressed the university’s commitment to addressing them. He indicated that system errors might be contributing to some of the problems and encouraged students to reach out to him if they encountered any issues.
Tukamushaba also mentioned the possibility of revisiting and potentially reducing surcharge fees in the upcoming semester, providing a glimmer of hope for students concerned about the financial implications of the recent fee hike.
Kabale University, which transitioned into a public university in 2015, faces a critical moment as the administration engages with students to resolve the surcharge fee issue and bring much-needed clarity and relief to the academic community.
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