MUSANZE - At least 41 employees of Higher Institute of Science and Animal Husbandry-ISAE Busogo  have been laid off, as part of the restructuring programme.

Speaking to The New Times, the vice rector in charge of Administration and Finance, Fred Mugisha, confirmed that 38 administrative staff and three expatriates have been let go.

He said it’s a measure taken to absorb the effects of the budgetary constraints and at the same time ensure that normal academic progress and other development initiatives take off. 

Mugisha revealed that those affected had already been informed.

In a related development the faculties of Agriculture and rural development (FARD), and Agriculture Engineering and Environmental Science (FAEES), have been merged, while teaching hours for academic staff have been increased to 20 hours per week, and payments for internship supervision have be stopped.

‘’The budget allocated to higher learning institutions in 2010/11 by the government was reduced by 25% and in principle this budget is based on number of students sponsored by SFAR,’’ Mugisha said

Speaking to The New Times, the Rector, Dr Charles Karemangingo, said that laying off will not affect the operations of the institute but will require stepping up efforts to maintain good quality of education and research.

ISAE-Busogo, has an estimated 2500 students, more than 100 teaching staff and close to 200 non teaching staff.

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