Anyone seeking to pursue any post graduate course at Makerere University will now be required to pay at least Shs5 million per year in a raft of tuition adjustments made at the country’s oldest public higher institution of learning.
Previously, graduate students pursuing post-graduate diplomas, masters and doctorate programmes have been paying between Shs1.5 million and Shs5.7 million per academic year. However, the revised tuition structure has been made uniform and students on masters and post graduate programmes will pay Shs5m while those on PhD will pay between Shs5m and Shs7 million.
The decision to increase fees was reached at following a meeting between the Makerere University Council headed by Eng Charles Wana-Etyem, the Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and other stakeholders.
According to Ms Ritah Namisango, the university Senior Public Relations Officer, the decision will affect those joining the university in August 2018 and not the continuing graduate students.
Ms Namisango explained that the decision to increase fees was reached following recommendations with reference to findings of the Jamwa Report, Prof Omaswa Report and the Visitation Committee Report on the need to charge the realistic cost of higher education.
“With consultations with the National Council for Higher Education and surveys conducted by the Planning and Development of Makerere University as well as the Quality Assurance Directorate of Makerere University, it is clear that if Makerere University is to solve some of the financial challenges facing the institution, it should charge the realistic unit cost of higher education,” she said.
The Makerere University Visitation Committee, in its report submitted to President Museveni in January, also recommended increment of tuition fees.
