Bukalasa College's Excellence Threatened by Staffing and Security Gaps

Bukalasa Agricultural College, a key institution for training Uganda’s farm extension staff, is facing significant challenges that threaten its status as an Agricultural Centre of Excellence. The college, lauded for its recent Shs40 billion infrastructure investment and a new competence-based curriculum, is struggling with a severe deficit of academic staff, particularly in critical technical departments.

College Principal Gelvan Kisolo Lule highlighted the issue during the institution’s 60th graduation ceremony, stating that the current teaching staff of approximately 40 members is insufficient for its over 2,000 students. This shortage, exacerbated by the retirement of staff without replacements, impacts the delivery of hands-on training essential for the college’s new curriculum. Many existing staff members also work on a part-time basis, posing sustainability concerns.

Beyond academic staffing, the college’s valuable new facilities and equipment are vulnerable due to the absence of a security perimeter wall. This lack of fencing leaves the campus exposed to potential vandalism, theft, and land encroachment.

In response to these concerns, Mary Aacha Orikiriza, Under Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), affirmed the government’s commitment to agricultural training. She assured that the highlighted challenges, including the human resource constraints, would be addressed. The ministry also pledged to deliver a new pickup vehicle and is working on restructuring agricultural training institutions nationwide.

The staffing crisis at Bukalasa mirrors a broader issue in Uganda’s agricultural sector, where the current extension worker-to-farmer ratio of 1:1,800 falls far short of the FAO’s recommended 1:500, hindering support for smallholder farmers.

Further details can be found in the Daily Monitor article: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/staffing-security-woes-shadow-bukalasa-college-s-status-as-centre-of-excellence-5481520