Are Lecturers Equipped Enough?

Are Lecturers Equipped Enough

By Joan Namulondo

A number of students have been putting forward challenges faced at the Universities and so are lecturers. There was lack of an institution to harmonize the two. This has induced the birth of the Makerere University College of Humanities and Social Sciences Centre of Excellence in Research, Teaching and Learning (CHUSS CERTL).It is the first one of its kind in the Central and East Africa.

The Centre of excellence in Research, Teaching and Learning will be a home for sharing challenges and creating remedies among the instructors and students.

Dr. Timothy Ssejoba on behalf of the Ministry of Education said, “This with foster the humanities to be well anchored in the different networks and the government is committed to see that they play their role,”

This was at inaugural workshop organized to see how to effectively engage students so that they can become part of the larger cohort of the humanities

Professor Umar Kakumba, Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, affirmed that COVID-19 had configured not only our lives but also our minds professionally.

He added that “CERTL is not just a structure but also an idea that hubs research and innovation for spearheading knowledge creation, development, management, dissemination and application.

He further emphasized that the Centre will extend accessibility to the long distance and E-learning which was initially limited thus leading way in creating teaching and learning imperatives which are beyond holding a transcript to imparting skills.”

Andrew Ellias State, an associate professor and Director CERTL,said,

“We ought to reconsider the use of the virtual and physical spaces through the institutional acceptance of the remote and online learning at low costs,”

Professor Josephine said that” the Centre is a vessel aiming at strengthening teaching and Learning as well as knowledge transformation to achieve a research based university.”

“In addition, Retooling seminars, workshops on academic writings will be organized providing an avenue for students to interact with a number of scholars both locally and internationally, “she noted.

Associate Professor Julius Kikooma, the acting Deputy Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, noted that, the Centre brings remedies to the challenges faced in institutions of higher learning like inaccessibility of services and rising costs of education which leave out the brilliant students,”

A number of students at the university have been complaining about the residential models of teaching which make knowledge inaccessible.

Sexual assault cases are also on a rise with the most recent one of Racheal Njoroge a student and Mr. Kisuze Edward a former lecturer and administrator at the university.

The Centre will harmonize and retool the instructors on how best to deliver knowledge and how to handle the different kinds of students at the university.