Kyambogo University is battling with UGX 5.6 billion in arrears for its part-time staff who have not been paid for over five months, with the problem largely attributed to the low tuition fee payment, which the university leadership said was constraining the university’s ability to meet its financial issues.

The university part-time staff, who include lecturers and support staff, complained of delayed payments, as some revealed that they had not been paid in five months.

In a phone interview with the Vice Chancellor of Kyambogo University, Prof. Eli Katunguka, he acknowledged that some part-time staff have not been paid in a month. He, however, said that the issue is being handled as the university is requesting more funding.

“The part-time lecturers have been demanding salary for months, but we are handling the issue, and soon they will be paid. We are asking for more funding from the government and also looking out for more options of income streams to be able to meet the university’s financial burden,” Prof. Katunguka noted.

Prof. Katunguka also added that one of the major factors causing the university’s financial woes is the low tuition fee structures, stating that although the cost of education has risen, the university’s tuition structure has been the same for the last 10 years.

“We are looking at increasing the tuition in the next academic year because our fee structure is laughable, and most times we ask ourselves what quality of education we shall provide at this cost. The move is, however, not being welcomed by the current guild leadership, but we have nothing to do and cannot continue like this,” he added.

A number of part-time lecturers at the university, who revealed on condition of anonymity for protection of their jobs, acknowledged the non-payment claim, stating that most of them have not been paid for five months now, but they cannot speak out because they have been restricted from talking to the media.

“At first, we were informed that the delay would be sorted out within one month, but it’s been almost six months now, and we haven’t received our salaries yet,” a part-time lecturer who preferred anonymity said.

However, it’s not known what next step of action the affected staff will taking as the university’s financial woes broaden with continued nonfulfilled promises.

Currently, students at Kyambogo University pay between UGX 420,000 and UGX 472,000 per semester for a two-year diploma in the Faculty of Sciences, while bachelors cost between UGX 840,000 and UGX 1.8 million per semester. In the Arts Faculty, a diploma costs around UGX 420,000, while bachelors range from UGX 900,000 to UGX 1.05 million.