By Victor Turinawe
The Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs at Uganda Christian University (UCU), Assoc. Prof. John Mulindwa Kitayimbwa, has urged Guild cabinet members to sensitise students about the importance of paying tuition fees on time to prevent challenges associated with missing marks.
Prof. Kitayimbwa made the appeal on Monday September 28, 2026 while responding to questions raised by members of the 28th Guild Cabinet during a meeting chaired by UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi at the Bishop Tucker Building meeting room, Mukono Campus.
He said delayed tuition payments prevent some students from being registered on the University Information System (UIS) and Alpha system, making it difficult for lecturers to enter their marks.
“The continuous failure of students to pay tuition fees in time means that they are not registered in the University Internet System (UIS), Alpha system, hence making it difficult for lecturers to enter their marks into the system,” Prof. Kitayimbwa said.
Prof. Kitayimbwa said UCU currently has 7,892 students, comprising 1,711 new students and 6,181 continuing students. Of these, 2,684 students had not paid any tuition fees, while 3,497 had paid only part of their fees.
He explained that many students wait until the examination period to clear their tuition balances, yet lecturers are required to enter coursework and test marks earlier in the semester.
According to Prof. Kitayimbwa, late payment can therefore contribute to challenges in updating students’ academic records and may result in discrepancies when marks are reviewed during Senate meetings.
The Director of Academic Affairs, Assoc. Prof. Angella Napakol, also cautioned students against prioritising other activities, including betting and starting businesses, over payment of tuition fees.
“Pay in time and ease our work,” Prof. Napakol advised students.
Meanwhile, the Director of Medical Services at UCU, Dr Geoffrey Mulindwa, urged students to use the university’s Agrotat examination policy responsibly.
Dr Mulindwa said some students who miss examinations falsely claim to have been sick and seek medical letters from health facilities in the University neighbourhood where they claim to have been admitted to support their applications.
He advised students who miss examinations to follow the official procedure rather than submitting false medical claims.
“Students should first obtain the application form from their faculty and follow the appropriate process. It then goes to the faculty and eventually through the relevant approval process. It is done digitally through the Alpha system, and it is done two weeks from the day a student misses the exam,” Dr Mulindwa explained.
During the meeting, Guild cabinet members, led by Prime Minister Ms Phiona Brenda Namugaya, raised several concerns affecting students’ welfare.
The concerns included lecturers who allegedly fail to teach, rude conduct by some university staff, particularly receptionists in the Finance Department, and lecturers relying excessively on artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching.
In response, Prof. Mushengyezi directed Guild President Abraham Elomaboni to compile a list of lecturers and the course units they teach across the various schools and faculties to facilitate immediate action.
“They are paid to teach, so they must teach,” Prof. Mushengyezi said.
