Martha Nakayiza.
The Entebbe based higher institution of learning- Nkumba University has notebly registered a low turn up in the number of new student’s enrolment for the February 2023 intake.
The University which opened it’s gates to all freshers on the 14th February 2023 has only a handful of new entrants seen attending classes approximately a month on, with some courses like journalism having not registered any.
Mr. Timothy Odeke, the enrolment officer at the Institution, admits that indeed there has been a drastic decline in the number of new entrants and he cites delays in the release of the Uganda Advanced Certificate Of Education-UACE results. “Well, it is true that there is a low turn up of students this semesters and among the many reasons, the delayed release of UACE results standout but this is only with our fultime or call it Day program, ” Adding that, “we recieved a good number for our long distance program which makes me think students could be embracing the long distance program because of the convenience associated to it.”
Mr. Odeke further asserts that COVID-19’S impeding economic mayhem is partially to blame, “COVID-19 left the economy in shambles and for that reason, many Universities increased tuition to be able to recover economically following the two year academic hiatus but Nkumba being `a people’ University, we didn’t increase any fares to give chance to even those who may be struggling economically, and we are optimistic that students will throng our August 2023 intake.”
Mr. Odeke was tight lipped when asked about the statistical figures.
Other sources say, the turnup is no surprise given the usually dull February intake,
Madam Kyeswa Gorretti, a lecturer at the same University noted that the February intake normally has a low turnup of new students since it is after that financially very hectic month of January and that is why many parents opt for the August intake.”
The nation-wide lockdown left approximately 15 million children out of school, UN reports estimated in 2021 that the pandemic’s impact on the education sector would be greatly borne by low and average-income households in both private and public schools.
In the COVID-19 error, Institutions including Nkumba University adopted studying online but there were massive gaps in access to technology perpetuated by inequality which limited many.
Given a number of factors that hing around the COVID-19 menace, many Universities have not fully realised the actual numbers of students as it may have been stipulated in their estimates.
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