Trouble: Kyambogo Versity Struggles to Pay Part-Time Lecturers

Kyambogo University is facing significant financial challenges, with the institution struggling to pay part-time lecturers who play a crucial role in its academic programs.

The university’s vice chancellor, Prof. Eli Katunguka, revealed that arrears owed to these lecturers have accumulated to Shs 5.6 billion, primarily due to low tuition fees that have remained unchanged since 2009.

During a recent press briefing, Prof. Katunguka explained that the university’s financial strain is largely attributable to its heavy reliance on part-time staff to fill gaps in teaching positions.

With only 404 full-time staff out of an approved 1,281 positions, Kyambogo has been forced to employ more than 500 part-time lecturers, whose salaries are drawn from the non-wage component of the university’s budget. This reliance on part-time staff, combined with stagnant tuition fees, has left the institution struggling to meet its financial obligations.

“The part-time staff have been diligently teaching, but they haven’t been paid for months. We are spending Shs 18 billion annually on part-time lecturers, which is eating into our finances,” Katunguka said.

He emphasized the need for increased government support to recruit more permanent staff, especially in critical fields like engineering and science.

The university has a severe shortage of senior academic staff, including full professors, associate professors, and senior lecturers. While Kyambogo is supposed to have 63 full professors, it currently operates with just five. This lack of senior staff has impacted the quality of education and the level of student-faculty interaction.

To address the financial challenges, Kyambogo is considering a comprehensive review of its tuition fees. Prof. Katunguka noted that while some fee increments have already been implemented for first-year students in certain faculties, a broader review is needed to ensure the university can sustain its operations and maintain academic standards.

The proposed fee increases, however, have sparked opposition from the student guild, which argues that higher costs could burden students. Despite this, Prof. Katunguka insists that adjustments are necessary, given that Kyambogo’s fees are among the lowest for public universities in Uganda.

As Kyambogo continues to explore ways to stabilize its finances, the administration is engaging with students and other stakeholders to discuss the potential fee hikes and the need to balance affordability with the university’s financial sustainability.