General
Mak- Students’ Guild proposes 15% tuition increment for incoming students
On Monday 2nd July 2018, Makerere Universality Students’ Guild Special Committee presented a report; proposing a uniform and moderate 15% tuition increment for new students across all programs effective Academic Year 2018/2019.
“There should be a uniform and moderate 15% increase in tuition fees across all programmes effective 2018/19 for the next 5 years. This however means that a student who joins the University at a given fees structure that has a 15% factored in, shall continue to pay similar fees until he/she completes the Course duration. The increment of 15% should only apply to first year students (effective 2018/2019) going forward and not continuing students,” highlighted the Special Committee appointed by the Makerere University Guild Cabinet and Guild Representative Council.
The Students’ Guild Special Committee presented the report to the Chairperson of Council, Eng. Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem amidst applause from the Vice Chancellor- Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration)-Prof. William Bazeyo, Deputy University Secretary-Mr. Yusuf Kiranda, the Academic Registrar- Mr. Alfred Masikye Namoah, Mrs Jackie Ayorekire-Manager of Revenue and Grants, Mr. Gordon Murangira-Personal Assistant to the Vice Chancellor, Ms Naomi Kiconco-Legal Officer, and Ms Ritah Namisango-Senior Public Relations Officer. Journalists from various media houses also witnessed the handover of the report.
Towards the end of the Second Semester for the Academic Year 2017/2018 (in April 2018), the Makerere University Council approved increment of tuition for new students who were scheduled to join Makerere University in the Academic Year 2018/2019. It should be noted that earlier studies indicated that the realistic unit of education in the humanities is proposed at UGX.6million and UGX.10million for science based disciplines. The Makerere University Council’s decision to increase tuition was further informed by the Visitation Committee Report which recommended to the President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the need for Makerere University to charge the realistic unit cost of higher education.Considering the socio-economic conditions and the need to continue providing high quality education, the Makerere University Council approved tuition increment for incoming students by 49%.
However, the Makerere University Students’ Guild led by the Guild President, H.E Were Salim protested against Makerere University Council’s decision to increase tuition for the incoming students by 49%. During the meeting involving Makerere University Students’ Guild, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe together with Members of the Central Management held on Wednesday 18th April 2018 in the Main Building, Senior Common Room, the student leaders requested the Makerere University Council to defer the implementation of the tuition increment by 49% to enable the Students’ Guild to make further consultations.
Subsequently, the Makerere University Students’ Guild Cabinet and the Guild Representative Council democratically constituted a special committee comprising 15 members to review the Makerere University Council decision of increasing the tuition fees of incoming students by 49% effective Academic Year 2018/2019.
Presenting the Committee’s Report on Monday 2nd July 2018, the Chairperson of the Students’ Guild Committee, Hon. Bandola Polly informed the Chairperson of Makerere University Council that the Committee studied the operations and fees structures of Universities in Uganda and East Africa. The Committee observed that Makerere University tuition fees were very low compared to other universities. This finding justified the need for Makerere University to increase tuition fees if the University was to continue providing higher quality education as well as professional services. The Universities benchmarked by the Students’ Guild Committee include: University of Nairobi, University of Rwanda, Gulu University, Kyambogo University and Uganda Christian University.
Led by the Guild President, H.E Were Salim, the following Members of the Students’ Guild Committee gracefully handed over the report:
• Hon. Bandola Polly (Chairperson)
• Hon. Kirabo Marion
• Hon. Isaac Kwagala
• Hon. Obedgiu Samuel
• Hon. Ssewalya Simon Peter
• Hon. Kamukama Frank
The report highlights that while the Visitation Committee recommended that Public Universities should charge a unit cost per program, the Committee has only considered a reasonable and moderate 15% tuition increment mainly considering our unique social-economic conditions as a country.
The report clearly indicates the need to improve students’ welfare and facilities. He therefore emphasized the initiation of a feedback framework where all matters/policies that affect students are discussed by students leaders beyond the two student representatives that sit on the University Council and its Committees.
“Today is a special day for I have witnessed the Makerere University Students’ Guild present its report to the Chairperson of Makerere University Council, Eng. Charles Wana-Etyem. I am happy that after wide consultations, the Special Students’ Guild Committee has proposed 15% tuition increment for incoming students. The Chairperson of Council is here to receive the recommendations from the Students’ Guild Committee, and he will present them to the Council for further consultation,” said the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
The Chairperson of Council, Eng. Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem thanked the Makerere University Students’ Guild and Guild Representative Council (GRCs) for undertaking a comparative study that informed the Guild’s proposal of 15% tuition increment. He applauded the Committee for the remarkable findings and recommendations that will inform the new fees structure for undergraduate students.
Eng. Dr. Wana Etyem urged student leaders to always use dialogue when seeking for solutions to issues affecting students. He called upon the Guild Council to sensitize the incoming students on the Makerere University fees policy.
“On behalf of the Makerere University Council, I am very happy that I have received the Students’ recommendation on the 15% tuition increment and the need to improve students’ welfare and facilities. We will schedule a Council Meeting within two weeks so that we formally handle this very important matter. It is good that the students have benchmarked institutions in Uganda and East Africa and established the realistic unit cost of higher education. I have taken note of your concern to improve students’ welfare, students support services and facilities and I hope that this report will benefit all the University students,” he said.
The Guild President H.E Were Salim commended the great work done by the Committee and called upon the University Management to consider the recommendations of the report.
“This is a new era. The Vice Chancellor, Makerere University Management and Council and student leaders are going to work together for the good of Makerere University,” he said.
Article by Mak, Public Relations Office
Makerere University has officially launched its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, marking a major milestone in its commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and human capital development in line with Uganda’s national development priorities.
The launch brought together senior government officials, university leadership, and development planners, including the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, and a representative from the National Planning Authority (NPA), alongside the University Vice Chancellor.
A Vision Anchored in National Transformation
Speaking at the launch, the Vice Chancellor underscored the University’s ambition to significantly expand graduate training and strengthen its contribution to national development. He noted that the institution is targeting a return to pre-COVID enrolment levels and a substantial increase in postgraduate numbers by 2030, with a focus on producing highly skilled graduates, innovators, and researchers.
He emphasized that the Strategic Plan positions the University as a key driver of Uganda’s transformation through knowledge generation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, aligned with national priorities.
“The staffing distribution is shown here. Under the approved establishment, we intended to have 419 Professors, but we currently have only 75. We planned for 473 Associate Professors, but currently have only 144. This clearly demonstrates that we still have considerable room for growth in strengthening our academic staff profile,” the VC said.
The VC appreciated researchers and research centres, that continue to attract substantial research funding. He highlighted the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and the Makerere University Walter Reed Project which attracted approximately US$70 million in international research funding into Uganda.
“When you combine the grants won by all our researchers through competitive international funding, the total exceeds US$200 million,” he said.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the University Council, Dr. Lorna Magara, described the Strategic Plan as more than an institutional roadmap, calling it “a public covenant with the people of Uganda.”
She noted that the Plan marks “the launch of Makerere University’s next chapter,” adding that decisions taken over the next five years will shape not only the future of the institution, but also Uganda’s development trajectory through graduates, research, innovations, and leadership.
Dr. Magara emphasized Makerere’s unique national role as Uganda’s premier public university, entrusted with public resources and public confidence.
“Every investment made in Makerere must produce measurable value for the people of Uganda,” she said, underscoring the need for accountability, integrity, and impact.
Ambitious Targets for Transformation
The Council Chairperson and the Vice chancellor outlined bold performance targets under the Strategic Plan, including doubling postgraduate enrolment, increasing STEM enrolment from 30% to 55%, improving PhD completion rates from 10% to 35%, and more than doubling peer-reviewed research output, alongside a significant rise in patents and innovations.
Dr. Magara stressed that these targets are not aspirations alone but binding commitments against which institutional performance will be measured.
“Ambition is precisely what this moment demands. A strategic plan is not measured by the elegance of its language, but by the lives it transforms,” she said.
Call for Stronger Governance and Legal Reform
Dr. Magara also highlighted the need for reform of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, Cap. 262, noting that the current legal framework has not kept pace with the evolving realities of university governance and innovation.
She called on Government and Parliament to support a timely review of the Act to enable universities to better optimise knowledge systems, productive assets, and innovation capacity in support of national development.
Government Endorsement and Strategic Alignment
Hon. Henry Musasizi commended the University for developing a forward-looking Strategic Plan aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), which serves as the foundation for the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
He explained that Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy from about USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion requires accelerated growth driven by productivity gains, innovation, and strong human capital development.
“Universities are central actors in national transformation. They are engines of knowledge creation, innovation, and human capital development,” he said.
The Minister stressed that government priorities include strengthening research, promoting industrialization, and ensuring that knowledge generated in universities is translated into practical solutions that support economic growth. He further highlighted the importance of accountability, efficiency, and value for money in public investments in higher education.
Universities as Drivers of the Tenfold Growth Strategy
In his presentation, the Senior Planner at the National Planning Authority, Samuel Kasule, emphasized that the Strategic Plan is firmly anchored in Uganda’s comprehensive development framework under Vision 2040 and NDP IV.
He noted that the Tenfold Growth Strategy seeks to accelerate Uganda’s economic growth into double-digit territory, enabling the country to achieve structural transformation and reach upper middle-income status.
Kasule underscored that universities play a critical role in this transformation through labour productivity, research, and innovation. He pointed out that priority sectors such as agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, and ICT depend heavily on skilled graduates and strong research ecosystems.
He also highlighted the importance of competency-based education, alignment of academic programmes with national human resource needs, and strengthening postgraduate training and research outputs.
A Shared Commitment to Transformation
Across all speeches, a strong message emerged: universities are central to Uganda’s development agenda and must evolve into research-intensive institutions that directly contribute to economic transformation.
The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 was widely commended for its focus on innovation, industry collaboration, digital transformation, and the commercialization of research outputs.
Government leaders reaffirmed continued support for higher education institutions through research funding, innovation ecosystems, and strengthened university–industry partnerships.
Conclusion
The launch of the Strategic Plan 2030 signals a renewed commitment to positioning the University as a key partner in Uganda’s development journey. With strong alignment to national priorities, the Plan is expected to accelerate research, innovation, and skills development necessary for achieving Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions. The Strategic Plan may be accessed at: https://mak.ac.ug/about/strategic-plan
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