Tanga Odoi Hires Students To Give Out Makerere admission Letters As Staff Strikes
Submitted by Christopher Tusiime on
Tanga Odoi, the chairman of Makerere University Convocation, a body that unites the institution's former students and workers, has hired 30 of the alumni to help the management give out admission letters as the strike for the responsible staff enters day three.
While speaking at a press conference at Makerere University yesterday, Odoi said that the move is for the good of the joining students, the university and the striking staff.
"While we (convocation) support industrial action by the non-teaching staff, we are too concerned about the plight of the joining students, first years," Odoi said, adding: "it's because of this that we are only going to help the management by supplying these admission letters so that first years are able to pay on time."
The chairperson Makerere University admistrative staff association, Hajati Fatuma Nakatudde said that they have allowed the convocation members to take on the task, given the fact that those responsible were carrying on with their industrial action, and yet admission letters are urgently needed.
Odoi explained that freshers can't pay the 60 per cent of fees as required by Makerere before they join since it's admission letters that have the basic information like registration and student numbers that are filled on bank slips to enable banks channel the funds to the institution's account.
The spokesperson of the convocation, Dr Deus Kamunyu said that the admitted students can pick their admission letters from the Senior Common Room located inside the university's main building, starting from today. He added: "Other universities are already giving these admissions out, their staff members are also on strike, and this should also be done at Makerere."
Public Universities Non-Teaching Staff executive Forum (Puntsef) headed by Jackson Betihamah, maintains that it's members will only resume working after the government has fulfilled it's pledge of paying them their 2015/2016 arrears and salary enhancement of 2016/2017 which amounts to Shs 56.5bn
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