This week Professor Ddumba-Ssentamu was named the new Vice
Chancellor of Makerere University.
Ddumba, the last man standing after a two month selection
process that has been dogged with controversy, has his work cut out for him.
His predecessor Professor Venansius Baryamureeba had started
a revolution, he was unable to see through but which the new VC will do well to
study.
In comments following the announcement of his ascension to
the top job Ddumba said he would look to boost the institution’s research
capabilities and the dissemination of this research.
He also added that he will seek to maintain or cut student
numbers to improve the quality of education provided at the once venerable
campus.
His ambition to push the research agenda is laudable. A
university that is not involved in research, which is furthering the boundaries
of the knowledge and supporting innovation, is not worth its name.
Years of political instability stunted Makerere’s
growth, while government’s rolling back of its interest in higher education has
caused an explosion in numbers at the Makerere campus wit h the introduction of private students.
"In an attempt to sustain itself the university enrolled more and more students without parallel investment in staff and infrastructure compromising education and welfare standards on the hill....
Ddumba is right and wrong to want to limit the number of
students going to Makerere university. Right in that by rationalizing student
numbers it would reduce the pressure on staff and infrastructure and hopefully
improve the output of the university. But this is at best a short term measure.
Makerere being a public university has an obligation to
educate all students, along with other public universities, that qualify. He is wrong because restricting
numbers is really not an option.
This is the dilemma of managing of public institutions, how
do you expand public services without compromising quality in a situation of increasingly
diminishing resources?
The university needs to turn away from believing government
should be its main benefactor. Ddumba will also need to perish the thought of
charging students the full cost of a university education. He will find himself
between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Makerere does not need a bureaucrat, it needs an
entrepreneur.
A bureaucrat operates optimally in a situation of adequate
resources and a predictable environment, while for the entrepreneur resources
can be none existent, the working environment in a constant state of flux and
failure is not an option.
"Makerere’s challenge is not a lack of resources – the concentration of human capital on that hill if quantified would be astounding, Makerere’s challenge is to unlock its potential, which is a function of management....
Unlocking the institution’s assets will require, lobbying
for changes in the law, refocusing of the university’s core strengths and reenergizing
an institution weary from living up to high expectations in an often thankless
job.
Ddumba will have to find the inner entrepreneur in him.
Clearly the VC’s office is not a holiday camp and Ddumba who
has served the institution for three decades should know that better than most.
We wish him the best, especially because future generations
of Ugandans will fail and thrive depending on how well he can meet this challenge.
