By Max Patrick Ocaido
The students of Muni University are on the brink of missing out on graduation after the institution revealed that they have accumulated Shs700m arrears in wages owed to staff.
While appearing before the Parliament’s Education Committee to submit the University’s 2020/2021 national budget framework, Rev. Epiphany Picho Odubuker, University Secretary, Muni University told the MPs that the limited funds allocated to the University has crippled activities at the institution which is science inclined and in need of practical aids.
In FY 2018/2019, Parliament approved a supplementary budget of Shs1.7bn but only Shs1bn was released.
“That money helped us complete the financial year but also, we still incurred arrears of Shs700m. If last year we survived on supplementary of Shs1Bn and then how can we this year do without supplementary given there was no increase realized in the budget,” Picho said.
“If we don’t receive the supplementary we have requested for, we aren’t going to promote any students neither are we going to graduate any students. The science students have the recess term where they do internship and that also accounts for part of their results, they will not be able to do recess, therefore, they will have missing marks that is why they will not be promoted, that is why none will graduate.”
In FY 2015/2016, the University had a non-wage bill of Shs3.4Bn only to be dropped to Shs3.2bn in 2017/2018 and raised to Shs4.4bn in 2018/2019.
Picho said the funding isn’t commensurate with the increase in population saying in 2015/2016 there were 90 students and less than 50 staff, but the number has now grown to 178 staff and the University expects over 400 students in the coming financial year.