Lecturers and students at Uganda’s nine public universities have staged protests over the past few weeks and months. Lecturers are protesting lack of pay, while students are protesting a variety of grievances. Makerere University and Kampala University are among those most deeply affected.
Final exams scheduled for October may be cancelled if violence continues, creating a major financial burden for lower income families who have to pay for an additional semester or year in order for students to obtain a degree.
Some 1,200 nursing students received qualifications from four universities, but ran into roadblocks when they attempted to register for professional practice.
The French Development Agency (AFD) has agreed to provide a $30 million dollar grant to 39 Kenyan universities, in a bid to improve access and quality in the higher education sector.
Proposed guidelines may make it harder for Kenyan students to obtain masters’ degrees. The new guidelines are the latest in a series of efforts to increase the rigor of Kenya’s higher education sector during a period of soaring demand and capacity.