Work and studies, a difficult game to balance

Working and studying at the same time has not been an easy task to students at Uganda Pentecostal University, forcing others to forego leisure and personal life.

What working students go through

Students, most of whom have families have found it challenging to balance work, family and studies with most of them foregoing leisure and personal life to fulfill the three obligations consecutively

Lydia Kugonza, a third year student says work has coasted her family so much, because over the weekend, when the husband is off duty and children not at school, she has always left them unattended to at the expense classes, yet it would be time spared for them. Kugonza, who even works over the weekend uses her free time to the next lecture to rush at work and deliver.

‘’We used to find some time and go out for leisure with my family over the weekend but since am now at school, things have turned the other way round’’ Kugonza says

‘’Some students miss class and concentrate on work, others miss work and attend classes, the only solution is harmonizing with your boss at work so that in times of emergencies at school like tests and exams, you may find ample time to concentrate otherwise you may have retakes.’’ Tumuhimbise Emmanuel a third year law student asserts

Busy schedule and examination time

For Kugonza who is a secondary school teacher in a private institution, its worse during examination time because work and family being demanding, she is forced to have sleepless nights to revise for exams.

‘’worst of all is when exams are schedules in weekdays, I wake up and do all my house responsibility, re- schedule my lessons to very early morning so that by 9:00am which is the examination time, am ready at school, sometimes I can’t find time to eat food trying to cope up with the situation.”

Listen to Kugonza speaking on work and studies

Nuwagaba Innocent, a second year student perusing bachelor of public administration, Kusiima Nyakato Christine, a third year student perusing bachelor of journalism say there has been conflicting loyalty when tests and exams are scheduled during working days as most of the time it’s hard to find time off work during week days.

Listen to Nyakato and Nuwagaba speaking on work and examination time

A single father and student at the same time

Muhereza Isaaya, a single father of two says despite work being time demanding, he has a responsibility to provide for the family as a father, pay fees for his two children and at the same time pay his own tuition, finding little or even sometimes no time to concentrate on books

Listen to Isaaya on books and single parenting

Advice to working students

The students however advise their fellows to find something that can give them income and stop despising jobs as the small money can help one top up on fees from parents or even buy necessities that parents can’t provide.

According to them, it needs determination to handle different tasks and study at the same time because most of their fellows have dropped out of school because of failure to budget well their time.

‘’Some are topping up on their parents’ tuition, some have a responsibility over their necessities and others are sole providers of their own tuition, there is no need to despise any job.’’

Listen to students giving advice

Lecturer’s experience with working students

Mike Aleta, academic registrar Uganda Pentecostal university who lectures in the faculty f law says he has not found hard time teaching working students, sighting few challenges of those with children sometimes are disturbed during lectures