FUTURE SECURED: STAKEHOLDERS TO BAILOUT NILE UNIVERSITY FROM DEBTS

The signpost of Nile University. File photo.

By Morish Dramadri

Arua city

Stakeholders of Nile University in West Nile have pledged their commitment to bail out the university from the threats of closure by the regulator National Council for Higher Education following the hard financial stands of the university.
 
Established by the local government in West Nile region under the then MAYANK in 2002 as a community university to provide education to the locals of the region, Nile university commenced sole operation in 2018 after the draw of the affiliation and partnership with Uganda martyrs university.

The university in 2023 was given an ultimatum of two years by National Council for Higher Education NCHE, to acquire a charter and this is expected to end in December this year.

This according to the university requires about 847,840,000shillings which the university cannot afford for now.

Speaking during a special stakeholders’ engagement at the university on Monday, the Acting university vice chancellor, Alfred Olar revealed that the process has stalled.

“The key challenge as we speak is that preparations have stalled we cannot move forward because of unavailability of the required finances, we are reaching the deadline and we are stuck, there is need for a political action we need to consider very urgently alternative financing mechanisms that may make us move forward,” Olar said.

The operations of Nile University are primarily financed through ownership subscriptions; all West Nile local governments, cultural institutions, religious institutions and civil society organizations, tuitions and any other donations from external partners but the university is currently funded by the tuition of the 186 students.

Dr. George Didi Bhoka the chairman Board of Directors of Nile University and vice chair West Nile parliamentary caucus nailed the stakeholders for failing to fulfil their mandates appealing for exploration of new avenues to sustain the university.

“We the corporate parents of this university have not been fulfilling our parental obligation of feeding our child Nile University, the main source of live of the university has been tuition, that therefore challenges us to explore more innovative ways and means, we need to open up to exploring opportunities from the government of Uganda,” Hon. Dr. Bhoka submitted.

In 2022/2023 academic year, Nile University projected a budget of 752,691,000 shillings, but only 112million was realized with salary taking 320 million shillings and in 2023/24 academic year, the university budgeted 777, 505,000shillings, 121 million shillings was realized and staff salary took 320 million shillings showing a great deficit.
In response, the representatives of the various institutions collaboratively agreed to commit payment of their subscriptions and mobilizing finances to support the university, with Uganda Muslim Supreme council West Nile pledging 10 goats to start a university farm.   

West Nile Development Association chief executive office Moses Akuma Odimz pledged for a stakeholders meeting with the regulator to seek extension of the period.

“The regulator has put a timeline, we could organize with representatives of the stakeholders to meet the regulator and perhaps the president and lay down to them our plans and seek for extension of that timeline,” Akuma proposed.

Among other planned intervention to secure Nile University include a fundraising drive, commitment to annual subscriptions by various institutions, media publicity and mobilization among others.