Members of Parliament (MPs) and stakeholders have raised concerns about overcrowding at Makerere University library. The issue has been exacerbated by the increasing student enrollment, which has led to a strain on the university’s resources and facilities. As a result, it has been highlighted as a critical challenge affecting students’ access to study resources and overall academic performance.
Muwanga Kivumbi, the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, said this during a Parliamentary sitting on September 19, 2024, after the Auditor General revealed that the university accommodates more than six students in a space of one square meter, which is unacceptable as per the quality indicators for universities. The university requires more than 66,815 square meters to attain the required minimum standard requirement.
“The Auditor General noted that the standard requirement of student to library is 2.5 square meters per student; however, currently the university has 11,065 square meters of library space for 27,865, giving a ratio of 2.7 . square meters per student. This leads to congestion of students in lecture rooms and libraries, which affects the effective delivery of services and educational capacity intake,” Muwanga said.
The University Administration acknowledged the audit findings and indicated that the university is a servicing unit and promised to use shifts in order to reduce congestion as they engage the Ministry of Finance for additional funding to secure space so as to improve service to the current students’ numbers.
The concerns raised by lawmakers reflect a broader issue of resource management within educational institutions in Uganda, emphasizing the need for strategic planning to ensure that facilities can adequately support the student population.
Students have previously staged protests in response to these issues in order to express their displeasure with the general administration of university resources. The administration of the university must act quickly to address overcrowding and its effects on academic performance and student life, as demonstrated by these protests.
