Obed Tebesiga Luganda, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Studies notes that online studies have been challenging to him and he only hopes that vaccination of learners will help business at the institution to return to normal.
Makerere University students are pushing for mass COVID-19 vaccination to ensure that the institution
fully reopens with physical learning activities across the board.
This stems from communication by the university management
to maintain online lectures in a
staggered manner in addition to limited physical
appearance even after the full
reopening of schools and higher institutions of learning by the government.
Under the campaign dubbed “No bending for blending, all gates for all
students, open Makerere for all,” the Guild President, Shamim Nambassa, said that the partial opening of Makerere University under a fully reopened
economy downplays the goal to achieve equitable education.
“In the recent past, the government guided for
full opening of all post-secondary school institutions. Seems the directive
fell on deaf ears as
Makerere University Management continues to fancy their minting staggered
manner of reporting. With
this,
students, part with
full functional fees yet they utilize resources for only one month.
Makerereans need to feel the pride of this University especially now that they
are headed for centenary celebrations. This can only be achieved by the full unconditional reopening of university,” she
said.
Obed Tebesiga Luganda, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational
Studies notes that
online studies have been
challenging to him and he only hopes that vaccination of learners will help
business at the institution to return to normal.
//Cue in: “Because currently the
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Victoria Natende, another second-year student in the
School of Education explained that sitting online examinations was so costly
for her and she does not wish to have a similar experience simply because of
vaccination.
//Cue in: “Coz me I …
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Benjamin Mukama from the College of Humanities and
Social Sciences, says that while
the vaccination drive would be helpful, all student leaders need to lead by
example as some are not vaccinated as yet.
//Cue in: “Students need to …
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However, there are students who feel that even
without vaccination, the university should fully reopen just like other learning centers. For instance,
Batarenga Benjamin, a third-year student
of Bachelor Arts in Arts, says that the vaccination should not be mandatory as he
is skeptical of the vaccines.
//Cue in: “That would have been…
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Similarly, Rosemary Aketcho, a student of Social Sciences revealed that
some students like herself are afraid of the COVID-19 vaccination after watching their colleagues
suffer sickness after taking the COVID-19
jab.
//Cue in: “I have not…
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Tom Okade, the Acting Guild Health Minister, says that as the new
academic year commences at Makerere on January 29, 2022, the priority group for
vaccination will be first years during their orientation.
//Cue in: “We shall have …
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To facilitate arrangements for securing vaccines
from the Ministry of Health, the student guild has taken to an online survey to
establish the number of those that have not been vaccinated and those vaccinated.
At the moment, according to records by the student guild, 80
percent of the 1000 respondents to the survey have been vaccinated. This will be the second mass vaccination by
Makerere student leaders. During
the initial drive last month 1040 learners received the first dose of the COVID-19 jab.
Shiphrah Kwagala
Freelancer