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Eli Katunguka-Rwakishaya, Vice Chancellor Kyambogo University
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By Our Reporter
PARLIAMENT – Concerns have been raised in Parliament over the quality of education provided to Civil Engineering students at Kyambogo University, following revelations that the university is failing to provide adequate practical training and instructional materials. The issue was brought to light in the Auditor General’s report, which highlighted shortcomings in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering during the 2022/23 academic year. The report revealed that students pursuing Civil and Building Engineering were receiving significantly fewer practical training hours than the standard requires. Additionally, during the first semester of the 2022/23 academic year, the department lacked essential instructional materials needed for hands-on learning. This raised serious concerns among MPs, who questioned the readiness of these students to compete in the job market.
Some of the courses taught to Kyambogo University students are expired according to Auditor General's report
Kyambogo University attributed the lack of practical training to funding shortages, stating that efforts to secure additional resources from the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Public Service to hire full-time technicians have not been successful. “With limited time to practice, the quality of engineering students could be compromised, which affects their competitiveness in the job market. Machines left idle for too long may depreciate, leading to further financial losses for the university,” said Muwanga Kivumbi, Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Kivumbi urged the university to continue engaging the Ministry of Finance for increased funding to address these gaps.
Muwanga Kivumbi
In a related issue, Parliament also criticized Kyambogo University for teaching 63 "expired" courses that had not been updated as required by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE). According to the Auditor General’s report, these courses had not been reviewed by the end of December 2023, despite regulations mandating that undergraduate programs be updated every five years and postgraduate programs every ten years.
See full Auditor General's report in the link below
https://parliamentwatch.ug/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Report-on-the-AGs-Report-on-Public-Universities-and-Tertiary-Institutions-for-the-Year-Ended-June-2023.pdf
The delays in renewing these academic programs have raised concerns that students are being taught outdated material that no longer aligns with current job market demands. “Failure to comply with the review process implies that students are studying programs that do not meet the needs of the modern economy,” Kivumbi warned. The PAC urged the university’s administration to expedite consultations with stakeholders and the NCHE to bring their programs up to date.
University officials explained that the review process had been delayed due to lengthy consultations with various stakeholders, including the education sector, academic departments, and the university's governing bodies. However, MPs emphasized that these delays were unacceptable, given the importance of keeping academic programs relevant to the evolving job market.
University officials explained that the review process had been delayed due to lengthy consultations with various stakeholders
The ongoing concerns over Kyambogo’s academic standards and funding shortages have drawn significant attention, with calls for the university to take urgent steps to improve the quality of education provided to its students. Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee has recommended that Kyambogo University intensify its efforts to engage with the Ministry of Finance for funding to hire more technicians and ensure that all academic programs are promptly updated.
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