A section of learning institutions across the country have reacted in protest of the decision by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) regarding expired courses.

On May 20, 2023, NCHE released a list of expired programs in various institutions following the upgrade that was announced.

Makerere University, Uganda Christian University (UCU)-Mukono, and Victoria University are some of the institutions that have complained about the decision.

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, attributed the delay by the NCHE in not accrediting several academic programs to laxity partly on the university’s side.

“Currently, Makerere University is in the press, along with other Ugandan universities, for the wrong reasons. A number of our academic programs are not accredited by the NCHE. This problem has been due to laxity, partly on our side and also on the side of the NCHE,” he noted.

He said that not accrediting the academic programs has led to the denial of admission to one or two of the graduates to higher degrees by some European universities, which has reasonably raised concern among members of the public.

Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, the Vice Chancellor of Uganda Christian University, clarified on Monday, May 22, 2023, that UCU programs have been mistakenly highlighted as unaccredited programs.

“47 of the courses were restructured and shelved, and no new students have been admitted since then.  Three of the programs listed have never been UCU programs. Two programs are properly accredited by the UNCHE, while eight programs have been restructured into new programs that are currently accredited by the UNCHE,” he said.

Victoria University has also clarified that the university is not running any expired courses and always submits academic programs to NCHE for re-accreditation.

 According to the circular, several learning institutions across the country, including Makerere, Gulu, UCU, Cavendish, IUIU, KIU, Busitema, Bishop Steward Mbarara, Bishop Barham, Ankole Western, and Avance International Universities, among others, are affected.

Some of the courses listed by the NCHE as expired include master of instructional design and technology, bachelor of youth development work, master of science in disaster risk management, bachelor of science in tourism and hospitality management, and bachelor of science in forestry.

Others are the postgraduate diploma in project planning and management, the Master of Arts in Public Administration and Management, the Bachelor of Science in Education—Economics, the Bachelor of Applied Sciences—Chemistry, among others, the Bachelor of Education (Foundation of Teacher Education) teacher education, the Diploma in Education Primary Education (distance education), and the Diploma in Music and Theater Art, among others.