In Uganda Faculty Association Backs Firing of Part-time Lecturers

Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) has backed the university’s new reforms, saying they will strengthen the quality of education and reduce wastage of resources.

Speaking to AdjunctNation.com, MUASA Chairman Tanga Odoi, said laying off part-time lecturers, will allow the university to save more money to enhance salaries of full-time staff. “There are some part-time lecturers who really fail to perform just because they lecture in different universities. But we believe that when these reforms are implemented the money wasted on such individuals will help boost salaries of committed full-time staff,” he said.

However, he was quick to point out that services of some part-time lecturers will still be needed in facilities that have fewer staffers. “What I know is that the university will continue engaging a few of them in some faculties until our trainees acquire the needed competencies to take up such roles,” he said. The university recently unveiled new academic, administrative and financial reforms that will among others see all part-time lecturers sacked. The reforms will also bring a reduction in the number of academic programmes by 30 40 percent.

But a part-time lecturer who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of losing his job said the lecturer-to-student ration is as high as 1:1500 and is expected to skyrocket given the increasing number of new students.

“Management should admit that the current number of full-time lecturers is far below that of the students. And with their (students) increasing numbers they will have less contact time with lecturers,” he said.

The lecturer said they spend their largest chunk of their time on teaching yet they could be doing research. “The good vice chancellor is making matters worse and soon or later we will be seeing more students’ strikes because they will not be taught well,” he added.

This year, the university admitted 18,000 students with 2,000 on government sponsorship while the rest are privately sponsored. But the lecturers numbers have already been cut from around 1000 last year to just 133 and according to the university acting vice chancellor, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba they will reduce the number further. Recently, the university publicist, Ritah Namisango said the University’s lecturer-to-student ratios were in line with the institution’s strategic plan to shift from teacher-centered instruction to learner-centered pedagogy.