Tertiary institutions on Monday turned away Covid-19 unvaccinated students.
The institutions opened their gates to students after months of closure following
the outbreak of covid-19.
At Kyambogo University, as
early as 7: 00 a.m, students and staff started arriving at the different gates
of the institution only to be told that only those with university
identification cards COVID-19 vaccination cards will access the university premises.
“No
vaccination cards, no entering, whether you are a staff or a student. If you
don’t have the documents please better go back home,” a local defence unit
personnel announced.
A female university security officer said that they had received directives
from university management that only vaccinated staff and students should
access the university.
Dorothy
Grace Wotalira, a student at the university was disappointed when she was
turned away. She says that she had travelled from Bugiri District and was expecting
to be vaccinated at the university.
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Many
students pleaded with the security guards to allow them to go to the university
medical centre for vaccination.
Patricia
Amulo, a student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts with Education, says she had
always gone to the vaccination centre at Kyambogo but she could not be
vaccinated due to the high number of students.
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Many
other students complained that the university had not made any formal communication
indicating that non-vaccinated students will not access the campus.
Vox Pop
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Students
who were vaccinated but did not have stamped cards were also denied access.
Besides vaccination cards, students who lacked university identification cards
were also turned away.
Alice
Nanyondo, a first-year student, says it’s unfair for the university to lock her
out yet they had not yet issued her with the identity card.
Prof
Elly Katunguka, the Kyambogo University Vice-Chancellor, says that management
has not yet issued a directive stopping non-vaccinated students from accessing
the university.
Prof.
Katunguka says they expected the security guards to allow the non-vaccinated students
to access the university’s medical centre to receive the jab. He, however, noted
that the matter will be addressed.
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At
Lugogo Vocational Training Institutions non-vaccinated staff and students were also
denied access.
Marvin
Kitone, a motor vehicle mechanical student, says that he was disappointed he
was turned away and yet the institute did not inform them of the guidelines.
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Wilson
Tumuhamye, the Acting Principal says they have decided to follow the
presidential directive of getting staff and learners vaccinated. He says that
every student and staff by asking will not access the institute without a
vaccination card.
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Luganda
byte
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At
Uganda Christian University-UCU, unvaccinated students were led to the
vaccination center established at Nkoyoyo hall within the campus.
The
University’s Public Relations Officer Frank Obonyo said that more than 4,000
students are expected to report this week for their first semester.
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At
Islamic University in Uganda, there was low turn-up of students.
Although the University authorities have put in place all facilities to welcome
back students, the public Relations Officer Rehema Kantono says they are not
expecting many students because majority of them are still studying online.