KAMPALA, UGANDA: Students of Bachelor of Economic Statistics (BES) at Kyambogo University yesterday protested against the use of WhatsApp groups to deliver lectures instead of physical lessons yet there are no restrictions barring the latter.
The student also accused the lecturer identified as Dr Kibs Muhanguzi of dictating which student is allowed to be a member of his WhatsApp group in order to take the lessons.
“This is BES CLASS 2019 current finalists writing to complain to you about the dictatorship of Dr Muhanguzi Kibs, who holds classes on WhatsApp in the group and he dictates the number of students he wants in the group and deliberately tells students to go to other electives,” a complaint written by the concerned students and addressed to the head of Economics Department reads in part.
The lecturer in question is also accused of threatening students who had previously complained about his method of working.
“I pray that you disobey one order, this is management, try laissez-faire and get fire,” the lecturer is quoted as saying in one of the WhatsApp groups.
However, Mr Muhanguzi when contacted for a comment on the matter denied teaching his students using WhatsApp but said he uses the social media platform to hold further discussions about what he has already taught.
“It is not classes, it is discussions, spatial discussions. Context from the physical class is discussed on the forum,” he said in a phone conversation, adding; “I have different methods of teaching my learners, face-to-face blended with the spatial method of teaching and sometimes I use student-centred learning and lecture-centred-learning depending on the paper I am teaching.”
It’s also claimed that another student had two of his examination marks deducted for not following the forum rules.
Mr Muhanguzi confirmed that he punishes those who do not obey his rules. “Each class has rules and regulations. Breaking them is punishable,” he said, adding that most students break rules by posting non-essential items in the forum meant for educational purposes.
“You post non-essential issues like leisure in the forum for academics you are penalised for that,’’ he said
When asked if he had conducted any physical lectures so far, Mr Muhanguzi said the Bachelor of Economics Statistics class has issues that will be sorted out on Saturday.
The Dean Faculty of Social Sciences at Kyambogo Mr James Mugisha explained that they had a fruitful conversation with the student leadership and confirmed that the issue has since been resolved amicably.
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