MAKERERE – Makerere University has introduced a digital payment system to track student tuition fee payments immediately the money is deposited on the university bank accounts.

According to the Directorate for Information Communication Technology Support, the payment system starts with the academic year 2018/2019, that kicks off next month.

“All Makerere University students will be required to first generate a reference number from the new platform before visiting the university authorized tuition collection banks to deposit their tuition,” the authorities announced on Thursday.

This comes at the time Ugandan Education institutions are embracing technology to ease payment of tuition by students.

The digital payment system is also intended to get rid of ghost students on the institution’s enrollment register who remain unaccounted for during the headcount verification but are tuition defaulters.

In a statement by Mr Paul Mugabi, the acting director of Information Communication Technology Support, students without the reference number from the new digital payment software, will not be able to make any tuition payment.

“Enrollment is a must and is done online at a zero cost. You can enroll anywhere at any time using the computer labs, internet cafes, smartphones or laptop connected to internet etc. Enrollment is mandatory for every semester,” Mr Mugabi said.

This new development system gives students a sigh of relief because they will no longer deposit tuition on wrong account numbers.

According to Mr Mugabi, the system captures the data of all students and their financial standing in the university and also alerts students on logging in the due date for payment of tuition fees.

The ICT Minister Frank Tumwebaze recently hailed the University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe for making the ninety-six old institution prominent in the digital space.

How the system will work

The student just needs to get an internet connected computer or gadget to let him/her access https://student.mak.ac.ug

For continuing students, they are required to use a Registration Number with the same to act as the password.

Whereas new students require a Student Number which also works as the Password.

Student will also be required to verify their credentials including names, phone contacts and email address to enable the system capture the required data.

Students will then create their own password with a minimum length field of 6.

As part of the migration verification exercise students will also be required to verify their bio-data.