A 2019 change in funding to prevent fraud has hampered universities' abilities to update equipment and to offer certain programs. Medical programs are particularly affected.
The first time Robert stepped onto the campus of Mbarara University of Science and Technology, he believed he was entering the halls of a prestigious institution that had trained some of the country's top doctors. The university is the second-oldest public university in Uganda after Makerere University, and it's famed for its focus on science and technology.
But that reputation is quickly eroding, says Robert, who requested to be referred to only by his first name for fear of retribution.
While student numbers have surged, the facilities have not kept pace. Labs are always overcrowded, he says. Basic tools like centrifuges and test tubes that students need for hands-on training are in short supply. Some that are meant for one student are shared among six.
"We end up not getting enough skills," says Robert, now in his second year pursuing a degree in medicine and surgery. He worries that after graduating, he might have to relearn these skills at another institution before he can confidently treat patients.
Mbarara University officials did not respond to requests for an interview. But in March, a joint inspection by the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council and Uganda's National Council for Higher Education offered an additional picture of how severe the situation is at the institution.
"Their biomedical labs were in bad shape, below what we expect medical schools to have," says Dr. Ayub Twaha, deputy chair of the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council. "We wanted to take drastic measures, such as suspending admissions."
Disrupted funding flows
Other experts in higher education say that many public universities across the country are struggling with similar challenges. They point to a 2019 government reform that changed how public universities manage their finances as the root of this crisis.
Under the policy, the government now requires students in all public universities to pay tuition directly to the Uganda Revenue Authority instead of to universities as they'd previously done. Then, the government disburses money back to the institutions.
The goal was to curb fraud and ensure transparency. Government officials say the policy has done exactly that.
"What was collected by universities was opaque. Nobody knew how much universities were getting," says Hannington Ashaba, the acting director of budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. He adds that since the government introduced the policy, revenue increased threefold.
But those inside the system say funneling university funds through the country's tax authority has instead paralyzed funding flows, stripped institutions of financial flexibility and, as a result, eroded the quality of education they provide .
Twaha, the medical council official, says the policy is part of the reason institutions like Mbarara struggle. With universities unable to directly access and manage their own tuition funds, basic maintenance stalls. "[It takes] time and even then, the money isn't all given at once. It comes on tranches," he says.
The March visit, he says, was the fifth time regulators inspected the institution and pointed out the same persistent issues.
The situation is the same at other public universities. Ibrahim Mike Okumu, an associate professor and dean at the School of Economics at Makerere University, says when universities managed their own tuition funds, it was easier for departments to plan and execute programs. Things have had to change, he says.
"The Makerere School of Law no longer offers evening classes. Many short courses that were provided in faculty of economics have been discontinued," he says.
Money comes -- eventually
While Ashaba, the acting director of budget at the finance ministry, agrees that the bureaucratic processes created by the new policy can delay things, eventually, he says, the money does reach institutions. "The only problem is the timing," he says. "We have quarterly releases. But all the money that comes eventually goes back to them."
Disbursement depends on what's available in government coffers, says Francis Muhumuza, a senior economist at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
"We run a cash-based budget. We pick from what is in the granary. The pocket sometimes is empty," he says, adding that if there is money, the government typically processes funding requests in three days. But, he says, the country doesn't have "enough money to make everyone happy."
Behind the curve
For medical students, the consequences could be dire . Training them in ill-equipped medical schools means they may fail to meet regional standards, says Peter Waiswa, an associate professor and health policy and systems expert at Makerere University School of Public Health.
"If they are not learning, you kill the science, the medicine and the market. You can't recruit people in your country who are incompetent," he says.
Twaha also warns that graduates from Uganda's medical schools may soon struggle to find work abroad. Within the East Africa region, countries have a reciprocal recognition program, he says, and lack of proper infrastructure could risk that.
"There are few jobs in Uganda," says Edward, a medical student at Mbarara who prefers to use his first name for fear of retribution. "If we can't be allowed to practice outside Uganda, we will remain unemployed or change professions."
Generally, he says, the situation has students at universities frustrated, which has fueled student strikes and disrupted learning.
It's an issue of trust, Waiswa says. The government needs to trust universities and give them some flexibility in financing, he says.
Eventually, poor training will not only threaten students' futures, but the country's ability to build a competent workforce, Waiswa says. And when it comes to medical training, that directly affects the health care system and the well-being of the country's over 48 million citizens, he adds.
Apophia Agiresaasi is a seasoned journalist and a Reporter-in-Residence at Global Press Journal, based in Kampala, Uganda. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in reporting on health and politics, bringing to light the challenges faced by marginalized communities.
Born and raised in Mbarara City in Uganda's Western region, Apophia holds a bachelor's degree in Social Sciences and a master's degree in Population and Reproductive Health from Makerere University.
Her impactful journalism includes investigations into the prevalence of fake doctors in Uganda's health care system, the implications of US aid withdrawal on medical research in Africa, and the struggles of rural communities facing electricity shortages despite national surpluses.
In 2020, Apophia was part of the Global Press Journal team honored with the Media Hero of the Year Award by the Stevie Awards for their comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through her dedicated reporting, Apophia continues to shed light on critical issues affecting Uganda and the broader African continent.
Copyright 2025 Global Press Journal. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (DJOGDJA NEWS).
Tagged: Uganda, Health and Medicine, Governance, East Africa
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).
0 Komentar