Long queues have become common at all banks inside Makerere University as students make last hour tuition payments, and other requirements to enable them sit end of semester exams.

Every day looks busy at places like Centenary bank, Stanbic bank, Post bank and Dfcu bank as students line up to deposit money while others are spotted spread outside as spaces inside banks are limited.

Makerere University end of semester one, academic year 2018/2019 exams are scheduled to take place starting 19^th November, 2018 according to the University official time table.

Ainomugisha Barry, a second year Bachelor of Law student told journalism@mak that he has been running up and down to find tuition. He acknowledges the many reminders by the University about tuition payment but he says that he had nothing to do with them since he had no money to pay.

“I delayed to pay tuition due to lack of money. But now bank queues are overwhelming. I have spent close to three hours here yet I want to attend lectures and revise for the exams,” Ainomugisha says.

Several other students who spoke to journalism@mak said that they were sent away to collect reference numbers which is a requirement for one to pay tuition using the new digital e-payment system, and is obtained only after someone has enrolled through university students’ portal.

“I thought that it was the usual procedure of filling the bank slip and present it to a teller. But upon completion and making it to a teller, he referred me to first get the reference number as a requirement for this academic year tuition payments,” said Nakigozi Tinah, a year two student of Bachelor of Gender and Women studies who was found at Stanbic bank, Makerere branch frustrated.

According to Ms Sarah Namukasa, an attendant in Dfcu Makerere branch, they have been receiving few students paying tuition. She says that the number of tellers they have are enough for the client base they receive in a day.

“This pressure always comes towards the end of the semester because students don’t want to miss their exams. Students are reluctant in the early days of the semester. It is not that we don’t have enough workers,” Nakigozi responds to the claim of being slow to attend to the clients.

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