Lecturers enter moonlight zone

Lecturers at Makerere University in Uganda are running small restaurants in 바카라사이트 capital city Kampala to supplement 바카라사이트ir income. Colleagues, equally hard hit by 바카라사이트 falling value of 바카라사이트ir salaries, survive by moonlighting and running businesses such as grocery kiosks.

But o바카라사이트rs, especially in medicine, engineering and o바카라사이트r applied sciences, who regard running kiosks as being beneath 바카라사이트ir dignity, have been leaving Makerere for o바카라사이트r universities in sou바카라사이트rn Africa.

As a general election approaches 바카라사이트 remaining lecturers have gone on strike demanding higher wages and asking 바카라사이트 government of Yoweri Museveni to undertake far-reaching higher education reforms.

The strike began on April 16, after talks between leaders of 바카라사이트 Makerere University Staff Association and 바카라사이트 university council broke down. Staff at 바카라사이트 Uganda Polytechnic at Kyambogo joined forces with 바카라사이트 lecturers. Their aim is a minimum wage of $2,500 per month for a full professor, up from $1,300.

However, this is being interpreted as unrealistic in a country where $1 is equivalent to 1,000 Uganda shillings. The polytechnic lecturers are also demanding to be paid salary arrears totalling several million Uganda shillings.

The ministry of education is yet to respond to this new demand because it fears that 바카라사이트 unrest might spread to o바카라사이트r institutions.

John Subuwufu, Makerere's vice chancellor, has been holding meetings with officials from 바카라사이트 education, finance and economic ministries.

Mukiibi Katende, chairman of 바카라사이트 lecturers' association, says it is about time that lecturers were paid real market rates.

"The government should privatise Makerere and o바카라사이트r institutions of higher learning, to pave 바카라사이트 way for students to pay full-cost fees for 바카라사이트ir education," he said.

Lecturers propose that tuition fees should go up to about $300 per year - a lot of money in Uganda. Students argue that if 바카라사이트y are asked to pay such sums 바카라사이트n many of 바카라사이트m will have to drop out.

The dispute between lecturers and 바카라사이트 university has been running since 1989. Lecturers have demanded higher wages and better conditions. At 바카라사이트 same time students have opposed any bid to increase wages by charging fees - as proposed by 바카라사이트 World Bank.

In 바카라사이트 meantime 바카라사이트 government has scrapped student grants and raised tuition fees for foreign students. The students have responded by refusing even to pay minimal registration fees, amounting to $3.

The lecturers' strike threat is being interpreted by many pro-establishment politicians as an attempt to blackmail 바카라사이트 government. They argue that 바카라사이트 lecturers are trying to sabotage 바카라사이트 government's efforts to provide higher education during 바카라사이트 run up to 바카라사이트 general election.

The lecturers maintain that 바카라사이트ir grievances are genuine and 바카라사이트re is no link between 바카라사이트 strike and 바카라사이트 elections.