At the Vice Chancellor’s monthly press briefing held on 5th March, 2012, in the Makerere University Council Room, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences presented a number of developments to the media fraternity.

The Ag. Chair, Department of Journalism and Communication, Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi, informed the media that the Masters of Arts Programme in Journalism and Communication had been reinstated. He noted that the Department will resume teaching the programme next academic year 2012/2013. The programme was put on hold last academic year due to lack of senior staff.

According to Dr. Mushengyezi, the staffing situation continues to improve and by August 2012, the Department will be in a better position to administer the programme. Dr. Mushengyezi pointed out that some of the senior lecturers who are currently on leave are expected to resume duties in August this year while the University Administration authorized appointment of more staff to replace those who left. Associate Professor Goretti Nassanga, who is currently on sabbatical leave and Mr. William Tayeebwa who is on study leave in Canada are expected to resume their duties in the Department in August this year.

He said the University had also appointed new members of staff namely Dr. Patricia Litho, Mr. John Baptist Imokola and Ms Florence Namasiga to address the human resource gap that we have been facing. He further noted that the University had regularized the appointment of Mr. Fred Kakooza and Mr. Wilson Kaija who have been serving on temporary contracts.

Dr. Mushengyezi re-affirmed the commitment of two former members of staff in the Department, Dr. Monica Chibita and Dr. Peter Mwesige, to continue offering part-time services to the Department in form of graduate teaching, supervision and examining dissertations when the M.A. programme is reinstated.

Department of Journalism and Communication wins UNESCO Grants

Dr. Mushengyezi also said the Department of Journalism had won two grants funded by UNESCO worth USD 52,000. One is a joint project with Daystar University in Kenya worth USD 27,500 which will enable the two Departments to carry out a training of trainers programme in new media journalism, participate in a curriculum review programme and conduct staff exchange visits in critical areas of need.

The second grant worth USD 25,590 will enable the Department to conduct a study on the media landscape in Uganda using the Media Development Indicators (MDIs).

NGO Forum offers research fellowships, 50 internship places to students

Meanwhile, the Chair, Department of Political Science and Public Administration in the School of Social Sciences, Dr. S.K Simba, informed the media that the Uganda National NGO Forum had offered eight research fellowships to Masters students in the School of Social Sciences, College of Humanities and Social Sciences undertaking research on NGO/Civil Society. He also said the same organization had offered 50 internship places to undergraduate students in the School of Social Sciences starting this year.

The grants are a result of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Uganda National NGO Forum and the School of Social Sciences at Makerere University. The MoU is aimed at setting up a formal collaboration and cooperation mechanism to among other factors increase the level of understanding and appreciation amongst students on the work and contribution of civil society to Uganda’s development.

Dr. Simba said the grants will reduce the burden for students searching for internship placement.

Makerere to recognize UPDF officers

Dr. Simba also announced that Makerere University will soon start offering a Masters of Arts Degree in Defense and Security Studies and a Diploma in Defense and Security Studies to students at the Senior Command and Staff College, Kimaka. The programme will be co-jointly taught by dons in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration in the School of Social Sciences at Makerere University and officers at Kimaka.

The programmes for the award of the MA and Diploma in Defense and Security Studies are still being reviewed by various units at the University to ascertain their relevance.

The affiliation of the Senior Command and Staff College, Kimaka to the School of Social Sciences at Makerere University was approved by the University Council in 2011.

Government warned against neglecting humanities (Arts disciplines)

At the same media briefing, the Ag. Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof Oswald Ndoleriire, cautioned the government against promoting the teaching of sciences at the expense of the humanities. He noted that government’s policy of promoting science subjects in schools has created bias among students undertaking or intending to pursue art subjects, yet for the sciences to thrive, the community must appreciate what’s around them.

Prof. Ndoleriire said that while government’s emphasis on the sciences is a good strategy and should avail human resource and laboratories for the same cause, no society can develop without humanties. He explained that people must be taught to appreciate their culture which can be done through teaching arts to bring up leaders and thinkers for a developed society.