By Terrence Alur
Students of pharmacy at Gulu University on Tuesday locked their lecture rooms and the university’s administration block in protest over a failure by lecturers to teach.
The university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Jack Pen-Mogi and his deputy, Prof George Ladaar Openjuru were both not in their offices at the time the locked the administration block.
James Otema, the vice president of Gulu University Pharmacy Students’ Association (GUPSA), told Acholi Times that they had missed several lectures since the semester began adding that ‘‘drastic’’ measures’’ they had taken was meant to address the situation.
“They (VC and deputy) were lucky that they were not in the office because we wanted to lock them inside so our problem is addressed,’’ said James Otema.
The disgruntled students said they planned to lock Prof. Pen Mogi and his deputy Prof Openjuru claiming that the duo had ‘‘fooled them’’ after they promised on Friday last week that lectures would resume by Monday this week.
About 11 university staff were locked inside the university’s administration block for close to four hours including the human resource officers, legal affairs officers and secretaries until police arrived and open the doors.
“We have lost a lot of time and we appeal to the administration to organize lectures over the weekend so that we can complete out syllabus because the semester is about to end,” said Sunday Drileba, a pharmacy student.
The officer in Charge of Gulu station, Edwin Atukunda condemned the act of locking the administrator saying it infringes their rights.
In an interview on Tuesday, Prof Pen Mogi said that the institution needed more time to address the students concern. Penmogi said the university needs funds to pay pharmacy lecturers.
‘”Our lecturers suspended lecture because they have not received payment since last semester,” Penmogi said by phone.
On Friday last week more than 200 Gulu university pharmacy students staged a demonstration from the faculty of medicine to the main campus protesting the university’s failure to conduct lectures for a month.
There are 215 pharmacy students and only 3 full time lecturers in the department.
