127 Makerere University Veterinary Students Go Over a Month Without Lectures, Graduation Fears Grow
More than 127 students at Makerere University are facing an academic crisis after going over a month without lectures at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVABs), with no response from the university despite at least six petitions submitted by affected students.
The situation has hit students in Year Three, Four, and Five the hardest, following the departure of multiple lecturers due to retirement, contract expiry, study leave, and resignations. According to students, none of the vacant teaching positions have been filled, leaving key course units unattended since the semester began.
For finalists, the impact is especially severe. Critical clinical and practical units—essential for completing the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine programme—remain untaught, putting graduation timelines at serious risk.
The staffing gap cuts across several departments. Among those who reportedly left are Prof. Charles Waiswa, Dr. Nassuna Namusoke, Prof. Jesca Nakavuma Lukanga, Associate Prof. Samuel Okello, and Dr. Ssengoba. Others, including Dr. Dickson Tayebwa and Dr. Paul Ssajjakambwe, have exited the university, while Dr. S.G. Okech is on study leave. Contract staff whose terms expired were not renewed, further deepening the shortage.
As a result, core units such as Surgery, Pathology, Reproduction, and clinical rotations have not been taught. Final year students have missed Surgery Clinical Rotations, while Year Four and Year Three students are also lacking instruction in essential practical courses like Herd Health Reproduction and Assisted Reproductive Technologies.
These are not optional subjects—they are central to veterinary training and require hands-on experience. Without them, students risk graduating without the competencies needed for professional practice.
In a formal letter dated March 30 addressed to Vice Chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe, finalists requested urgent intervention to recruit lecturers for surgery and ambulatory units.
However, students say the university has not responded to that letter or any of the previous petitions.
Finalist Steven Kizza Ssemmanobe confirmed that students have made multiple attempts to engage the administration. “
Most lecturers were on contract, but their contracts expired and were not renewed. We have petitioned the university about six times, including writing formally, but we have received no feedback,” he said.
He added that the lack of lectures—especially in clinical rotations—is now directly threatening their ability to graduate on time.
The crisis has raised serious concerns among campus students, many of whom view it as a failure of planning by the university. Lecturer contract expiries, retirements, and study leaves are predictable events, and students argue that replacements should have been arranged in advance to avoid disruption.
For now, affected students say they are simply asking for what they paid for—access to lectures, qualified instructors, and a fair chance to complete their degrees on time.
By the time of publication, Makerere University had not issued any official response to the situation.
Campus Plus will continue to follow this developing story.