By Carol Kasujja Adii
KAMPALA – Makerere University through the School of Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences has created a Biology Society of Uganda to bring all biologists in Uganda together.
After analysing the academic performance in Biology at UACE and UCE for nearly half a century, Makerere University has observed that for the last 4 years, students have been failing Biology.
The continued poor performance in Biology has affected the totality of life-sciences, academic and research ecosystems at Makerere University which is why they have formed a Biology society to create a community of people interested in Biology to exchange ideas and sustain interest in the subject.
Speaking at the launch of The Biology Society of Uganda (BioSU) at Makerere University, Prof Umar Kakumba, the deputy vice chancellor-in-charge of Academic Affairs, said that the formation and establishment of (BioSU) is founded on Uganda’s aspirations for a strong bio-economy to spur national development under National Development Program 111.
“Cognizant of the importance of Biology applications that account for over 60% of Uganda’s science, technology and innovations and ecosystems, we envisage that bringing together Biology professionals will augment and consolidate their contribution to national development,” Prof Kakumba, said.
Prof Kakumba noted that BioSU comes in handy as a non-profit supplementary contribution to enhance the Government’s effort of increasing the enrollment of students in Biology, with deliberate intentions of inclusive participation from Primary to Tertiary levels of education.
“BioSU is going to contribute to the promotion of Biology as a subject among learners, right from Primary schools to achieve increased enrollment and improvements in academic grades at 0 and A levels,” Prof Kakumba noted.
During the 2021/2022 Financial Year, the government earmarked Shs358b to support scientists in the country to further their research and product development.
Releasing the UACE results last year, John Chrysostom Muyingo, the state Minister for Higher Education, said that the government must commission a study to establish this perennial trend.
In his speech, Prof Arthur Tugume, the Dean of School of Bioscience at Makerere University, said that the Society is not only for Makerere University but it is for the entire Country.
“The objective of the Biology Society is to establish a functional and dynamic platform that will promote communication among biologists engaged in knowledge generation, testing, teaching and the end users at all levels,” Prof Tugume said.
Prof Tugume also said that society will promote biological research and its application in teaching or solving challenges of national development at all levels.
“The society will also host and publish a bio annual Biology Newsletter or any other publication deemed on biology aspects of interest in Uganda,” Tugume noted.
The society will also guide on matters of national importance that demand expert knowledge in Biology or its applications.
