5000 Kampala university students in Dar es Salaam boycott classes.

  Decry alleged unregistered courses.

Police officer J. Simba addresses thousands of students from the School of Health and Applied Sciences of Kampala International University�s Dar es Salaam College near their campus at Gongo la Mboto in Dar es Salaam yesterday. All the students - from freshers right to finalists (in the fifth year of studies) � are on strike following reports that the university is yet to get full registration and therefore it is not supposed to run Diploma in Pharmacy Technology and Bachelor of Pharmacy programmes. KIU Director of Communications Uki Kenneth said that was indeed the case, adding however that the university�s authorities were doing their utmost to resolve the issue and that the Pharmacy Council (under the Health and Social Welfare ministry) has granted them temporary leave to continue with business. However, the students are not taking any of that. (Photo: Khalfan Said)

More than 5000 students from the Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences at Kampala International University’s Dar es Salaam campus boycotted classes yesterday, demanding official clarification on reports that they are pursuing unregistered courses.

 

The students who boycotted classes were those pursuing bachelor of medicine and surgery, bachelor of pharmacy, bachelor of medical laboratory and diploma in medical laboratory technology, diploma in clinical medicine and diploma in pharmacy.

 

Other students were those studying certificate in clinical assistant, certificate in medical laboratory and certificate in pharmacy. 

 

Speaking to the Guardian the students’ minister of health Kenedy Murenya said that they presented their concerns to the management a long time ago but they were not given satisfactory answers to make them proceed with their studies.He said that earlier the university management through Dean of Health Faculty informed them that the courses were already registered, but they later learnt that it was not true.

 

“The announcement was posted on the notice board informing students that the courses had already been registered but we came to realise that   it was not true after the students made efforts to establish the truth,” he said.

 

Another student pursuing bachelor of medicine and surgery Martine Suga said that students were in a dilemma because they were not sure of their academic future because if the courses were not registered it means that they will not be recognised.

 

“We are worried  because if the courses are not registered were just wasting time and resources... we want  official statement from the government towards the problem … we are tired of politics  especially on crucial issues like this one,” he said.

 

The KIU students organization (KIUSO) Prime Minister Elisha Mushi confirmed that the student demand was genuine and the management was working on to resolve it.

 

KIUSO deputy minister for education   Fadhilina Kasim said that although the strike involved one faculty, even other faculties have been affected because students have failed to proceed with studies following the inconveniences  from the boycott.

 

KIU director of marketing and public relations Kenneth Uki   confirmed to The Guardian that the courses were yet to be registered but the university had submitted all the requirements for registration to the respective authorities.

 

He added that though the university has put efforts to ensure that the issue is resolved amicably there were some delays which made the process not to be completed  on time.

 

“We know that this has been a problem but we are working hard to have the courses registered,’ he said.

 

He added the situation at the university was not conducive for studies since Friday last week as students went on strike forcing the Field Force Unit police to patrol the university to ensure peace and security prevailed.

 

Head of Criminal Investigation for Dar es Salam Special Zone C onstantino Masawe   told the students that the University applications for registration of the courses were sent to the Ministry of Health yesterday (Monday) .

 

He said they discovered that the University did not take much efforts to ensure that the courses were registered because the faculty was introduced since 2011

 

‘’The university applied for registration of the courses to the Ministry of Health and Social  Welfare and they were conditions to be fulfilled before registration but so far nothing has been done, ‘’ he said.

 

In May 2013, the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU)   ordered the Kampala International University (KIU), Dar es Salaam Constituent College, to stop offering Master’s and Doctorate courses.

 

TCU said decision was taken because KIU did not meet requirements to offer the courses. In an unsigned statement issued by then TCU executive secretary, Prof Sifuni Mchome, said KIU was offering the courses contrary to the regulations as it lacks qualified teachers for the programmes.

 

“Despite the fact that KIU was an institution registered by TCU to offer graduate and diploma programmes in Tanzania, it does not meet the conditions that enable it to offer postgraduate courses. We therefore order the institution to stop immediately offering such courses,” the statement reads in part.

 

TCU advised KIU to work together with students to facilitate smooth transfer to other universities to continue with studies. If the university continues to offer the courses, TCU warned that it will not accredit the certificates of students.

 

In January 2013 KIU administration suspended 19 students for being at the forefront in demanding fair and equal treatment to students and lecturers, at the Gongo la Mboto campus in Dar es Salaam. 

 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN