By Hanning Mbabazi
Mbarara: Worry has engulfed management of Bishop Stuart University (BSU) in Mbarara District as student leaders threatened to stage a massive strike if the university management fails to purchase furniture within the coming two weeks.
In a letter addressed to the university quality assurance director, the students tabled five demands which they want the university management to fulfil with-in two weeks’ time.
Spy Uganda has learnt that students are agitated about the lack of chairs especially during class hours, insufficient lighting on campus and the law faculty, unstable power supply and absence of wireless internet at the institution.
According to Denmark B. Adios the BSU Guild President, some students have been subjected to harassment by the university administrators including denying them chance to sit for tests and courseworks due to delayed tuition payment.
Adios said, students are tired of walking long distances carrying chairs from one building to another to attend lectures.
“The population is bigger than the seats we have in the University meaning that students who come late to lecture rooms will find no seats to use and thus resulting into failure to attend lectures in time for example students of the Faculty of Education and Business. Many students receive lectures while standing and it is a concern to us as student leaders,” Adios said.
He added that the students’ leadership has been engaging with the university management on the same issue but with less success.
“We are heading to a serious season of exams where students will be reading to late evening and therefore lack of enough security lights in the University puts the lives of majority to risk most especially our sisters may be raped, gadgets may be snatched and thieves may take the advantage to enter and grab students’ gadgets in darkness,” Adios added.
Professor Maud Kamatenesi-Mugisha the University Vice-Chancellor commended that the university plans to procure solar lights, which will be installed early next year.
