UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | A new Master of Science in Land Management programme has been launched by Makerere University College of Engineering, Design, Arts, and Technology.
The programme will fill the vacuum caused by a shortage of land managers, according to Ms Lydia Mazzi Ndandiko, head of the Department of Geometrics and Land Management.
“We have very many land professionals in different offices like land surveyors and physical planners, but they are all experts in the field that they studied, so we felt like we needed a holistic land manager who can handle each of those disciples to be able to provide a better service,” during yesterday’s programme launch at the institution, Ms Ndandiko remarked.
The curriculum, according to Ms Ndandiko, will provide students with the tools they need to handle problems in their regular jobs.
“The value of land is not standard, it keeps on changing based on laws and policies. So this is to bring these laws and policies together so that they can inform the valuers,” she said.
Judith Nabakooba, the minister for lands, praised the proposal and promised to collaborate with the college.
“We all know that matters of land are matters of life and, therefore, we believe this programme is going to move a long way as far as streamlining land management is concerned. The programme will prepare more experts who can manage our land resources,” Ms Nabakooba said.
“I want to thank the university for training surveyors, valuers, lawyers, and physical planners who have worked to successfully implement government programmes. As the line ministry, we are pleased that the university has started this degree programme,” she added.
Land management issues are a problem for the government, particularly in the Kampala Metropolitan Area.
Family disputes, the exclusion of the elderly and women, the encroachment on the echo system, land fragmentation owing to rapid population expansion, and physical design flaws are only a few of the issues.
Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, the acting deputy vice-chancellor in charge of finance and administration, requested the Lands Minister to get involved in disputes involving Makerere land in Katalemwa, Kyankwazi, and Katanga on behalf of the vice-chancellor.
“Almost all Makerere land has been taken by grabbers, and some of them are high-level people, you cannot just wake up and chase them. Actually, at one time, we had chased them, but they also chased us back, so Honorable minister, we are asking for your support,” Prof Alinaitwe said.
Some of the concerns brought up by the deputy vice-chancellor, according to Ms Nabakooba, have already been addressed.
They just gathered all the titles and performed a workout to open up boundaries. On December 23, 2022, a public meeting was held to discuss the exercise.
About the Master’s Degree Land Management Programme
The initiative has garnered 10 World Bank scholarships for the pioneer group of students to take the course. The programme lasts for two years.
Tuition and functional fees for each student will be USh7.6 million every semester.
The candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree in a lower-second class or its equivalent. Those who earned a Pass Degree will need to show proof of their academic progress.
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