Baguma is not alone, Janet’s dream of becoming a teacher was also shuttered a few weeks after commencement of her second year. Unlike Baguma, Janet takes all the blame because of her negligence and the type of friends she chose. She partly blames her parents who did not follow up on the friends she had, the hostel she was staying in and her attendance in class.

Such a challenge of MMU students failing to complete their studies is not unique to Baguma and Janet. Many students have suffered the same.

According to statistics, from the office of the University Registrar, 145 out of 632 that enrolled for various courses in 2013 dropped out before completing their studies due to various reasons and one of them being tuition.

Whereas tuition remains the biggest challenge to students’ dropouts, from the university, Dr Mutabaruka Fredrick, the Dean of students highlights on the other issues he has handled in his office for the last 9 years up to today that he thinks have also increased on the numbers of dropouts. As an educationist, he gives a wider perspective on this issue that has become rampant on almost all levels of education. “Unemployment rates have made education lose value, “he says.

students’ most challenging issues that make them drop out of university

• Tuition
• Relationships
• Pressure from class( coursework, research)
• Bad peer influence
• Gambling

While parents admit that educating a child especially at the university is a big and expensive responsibility, they urge students to be committed to their studies and to fellow parents that their role doesn’t stop when their children join a university. However much being an institution for adults, providing for them, meeting their friends and following up on their performances in class remain their key role.

Madam Gorreti the university counsellor advises the newly enrolled students and the continuing students as well not to indulge in behaviors that will confuse and pressure them to drop out of school. She mentioned some as relationships, pressure from course works, drugs and influence from friends.