Students of Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) on Monday morning staged a strike demanding change in the institution’s retake policy.
The angry students refused to go for lectures, calling for the university administration to revise the retake fees from UGX 50,000 to a more affordable 20,000.
The students surround the Vice Chancellor’s office demanding for answers
During the strike, one of the ring leaders only identified as Hannington was arrested but students turned more violent until he was released on the orders of the Rwizi Regional Police Commander Ivan Nuwamanya.
Nonetheless, the students carried on brandishing placards around the campus that demanded for the new policy to be repealed.
The students were led in the strike by the Guild President Chris Obore
According to Sankara Byaruhanga doing BIT, in the past students who failed the papers would easily sit for supplementary exams, until the policy was changed.
The new policy he said requires payment of Shs 50,000 for a failed paper and failing two papers, one has to register for a dead year.
“This is unfair; some of us have 14 course units which you cannot guarantee to pass,” he said.
One of the ringleaders Hannington was briefly held and released by police
The students were also angry that the university was no longer providing them with internship fees, on top of poor sanitation, a non functional generator, congestion and many others.
The RDC Mbarara Capt. Martha Asiimwe speaking to Chimpreports said the strike has been looming and that sadly administration hasn’t come out to address the student issues.
Police and District leaders arrive at the university
The RDC said she will sit with the university administration tomorrow to sort out all the grievances raised by students.
“Students demanded to meet the vice chancellor, unfortunately he was not at the campus,” she said
By publication, security was deployed around the university to maintain calm.