One would not hesitate to say that Uganda is becoming a field of violence. Kyambogo University students are also on strike against the proposed increase in fees payable by students in public universities and what they are terming as poor learning environment.
The police have deployed to quell the situation as students had started burning some university properties. The strike started in the morning of April 18, 2011.
The students’ body is asking the administration to lower school fees, delays to release last semester exam results and improve sanitation among other things.
Last week, Makerere University students destroyed some university properties in a strike against the plans to double fees from an average 3 million to 6 million shillings per year.
The government and Makerere University have both denied any plans to increase tuition fees in public universities. The Minister of Education and Sports, Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire says the students will continue paying what they pay for the foreseeable future.
The protests follow recommendations by the Auditor General that it costs 6 million shillings to properly cater for a university student in Uganda, and not the current 3 million being paid. The Auditor general recommended the fees to be increase if public universities are to offer quality education.