I was looking at the list of the top 10 universities in Africa and I discovered that among them there is non from Uganda! Not many years ago, being the ivory tower it was, Makerere University was featured among this list and many Ugandans, especially the alumni, felt very proud about this narrative.
I was however taken aback when I saw the student Guild leadership of MAK leading a protest in this post-Covid-19 era against using blended learning where students can use online classes! Honestly, this sounded strange that university students can demonstrate against the use of modern technology in the learning environment! I was equally got astonished when some major political parties issued statements in support of this primitive attitude against technological advancement in our learning environment.
The use of zoom technology in conferencing, learning, and commerce was a milestone technology that has made a difference in this Covid-19 era. Many primary schools and secondary schools have been able to adopt and have been conducting many online classes during the pandemic. I would have thought that this was an opportunity for the university students to create a number of online platforms either for learning purposes or for commerce from which they can earn money while simplifying life for others who may not need to be in a classroom when the option of learning from wherever one maybe is available!
Many young people, especially from institutions of higher learning have been instructive in coming up with innovations that should propel their generations into modern digital technological advancement and we also expect our universities to do the same.
Let Makerere University take up its place in society and lead other universities in Uganda, teaching innovative young people who can embrace the required technological tools in order to create development. Let the politicians guide the young people to where the world is going. I would have been sympathetic to the students if they demonstrated against the cost of data so as to be enabled to attend online lectures at a lesser cost from wherever. But to demonstrate against a new technological trend that has been adopted globally given the circumstances is to demonstrate naivety and cannot definitely put Makerere University among the first 10 universities in Africa.
Emmanuel Lumala Dombo
Former Guild President MAK
Do you have an Opinion or Story to share with us always send it to: info@daparrot.com or editor@daparrot.com or call +256704514797.
