strengthen counselling services — nsibambi

By Milton Olupot (New Vision)

March 22, 2006: Prime Minister Prof. Apolo Nsibambi has called for strengthening of systems of counselling students, warning that they were falling victims of unacceptable practices and vices like homosexuality.

He said chaplains of different religious groups should be tasked to lead the crusade to impart religious values among the student communities, especially in universities.

There are about 68,000 students in 28 universities.

The universities are categorised by the National Council of Higher education as public universities (five), private chartered universities (three), private universities with provisional licenses (14), private universities with letters of interim authority (three) and three private illegal universities.

“Some students in university are falling victims of unacceptable practices and values such as homosexuality.

“It is essential to strengthen the system of counselling students. Chaplains of the different religious groups at public universities have a special duty to promote religious values among students and staff,” Nsibambi said.

He was on Saturday speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Inter University Council for East Africa chancellors’ Forum at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel, Entebbe. Present were chancellors and vice-chancellors of over 20 universities in East Africa.