The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has ordered all institutions of higher learning to stay closed to recruting new students until the government tells them when to reopen.
In a letter authoured by Prof. Mary Okwakol the executive director of the NCHE, and dated January 22nd, 2021,she directs all vice chancellors of these institutions of higher learning to await the presidents directive on hosting fresh students.
“As you are well aware, the directives to reopen high education institutions for finalists on health related programmes, and subsequently for all finalists were given by the President of the Republic of Uganda. Accordingly, we await a decision of Government on the way forward regarding re-opening for non finalist classes,” the letter reads in part.
Her notice comes at atime when various universities including Makerere University have released schedules for reopening safely for freshers.
Makerere University has however,since adjusted its statement on safely reopening for freshers on 30th Jan 2020 to indicate that its only a tentative while they await a directive from the government.
Currently,the government has only permitted higer institutions of learning to stay open for continuing students that are finalists.
Since March 2020,all schools and all high institutions of learning were indefinately closed by President Museveni to contain the further spread of the Covid-19.
The fate of continuing students resumping normal classes still remains unclear since the gov’t is yet to pronounce itself on when they resume.
