Staff Publications

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Collegial cooperation turns toxic: Its depth and breadth: What are the implications for higher education institutions (HEIs)?
(Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 2021-02) Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria; Nkata L., James
Collegiality has been glorified as the strongest governance pillar for higher education institutions, especially in promoting independence of thought, impartial decisions on leadership, mutual respect, and providing peer support. However, the recent corporate culture recently adopted by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and a system that rewards individual accomplishments, together with decreased state funding had steadily weakened the collegial philosophy, while toxicity takes the center stage - thereby threatening unity, harmony and institutional visibility. As a result, institutions have turned toxic. Unfortunately, although easily identifiable, toxicity is a difficult phenomenon to deal with, especially in dynamic academia environment, performance-based pay and personal traits notwithstanding. The paper concludes that the lack of conclusive empirical research to establish the depth and breadth of toxicity has made it difficult for personnel to make defensible decisions. The paper recommends that institutions should prioritize institutional inquiry in order to address work related behavior – among others to negate unacceptable behavior that have persistently harmed individuals as well as the institutions. Finally, institutions should make collegiality part of all “Personnel decisions” that clearly stipulate flawless indicators and measures of toxic behavior, in order to enhance collegial, civil and harmonious work environment that promotes staff engagement, productivity and institutional stability.
A comparative analysis of quality of health care delivered in low and high task shifting environments in Uganda: Implications for policy.
(Journal of Human Resource Management, 2020-01-08) Kanyesigye Rullonga, Monicah; Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria; Bayat, Mohamed Sayeed
With the increasing global health workers shortage, developing countries like Uganda are embracing task shifting as a form of availing health care amidst the growing population and increasing disease burden. This study examined the quality of healthcare delivered under task shifting in low and high task shifting environments from patients’ perspective in Kalangala and Bukomansimbi Districts respectively. An exploratory design was employed with both qualitative and quantitative approaches guided by Banduras theories of social learning and social cognitive. Bivariate analysis was carried out through cross-tabulations on associations between task shifting and quality of healthcare indicators to generate chi-square and p-values. Quality of care was assessed as generally good but much better in high task shifting environments because of the availability of simulations, supervision and mentorship programs which facilitate the health workers to learn even when they possess lower qualifications. The study asserts that good quality healthcare can be provided by virtually any person who is conditioned through training, supervision and mentoring. This has a huge implication for Human Resource for Health (HRH) planning, forecasting and development in the epoch of healthy worker shortage. The study designed and recommended a task shifting model that would facilitate the development of policy framework for task shifting implementation.
Differentiation of higher education institutions in Uganda and their philosophies: Is it diversion or inclusion?
(Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 2021-09) Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria; Sessanga, Karim; Bakibinga-Sajjabi, Florence; Oryema, Dan E.
This article discusses university diversions from their original purposes in order to achieve economic independence and sustainability. While these institutions are social systems that reconcile contradictory functions, they have long relied on marketing and branding to attract quality students, funding, and partnerships, in order to endure differentiation. Nonetheless, the majority of institutions have diverted from their original purpose, while others are struggling to distinguish themselves as unique; still others are unable to define their purpose, identify their culture, and also fail to align their inputs with their outcomes. In effect, those institutions that have attempted to uphold differentiation have simply duplicated what already exists in other institutions, albeit with different visions and mission statements. Nonetheless, while the lost differential was initially perceived as a disadvantage, it has proven to be a boon in terms of inclusiveness. The article concludes that the skills’ gaps in the areas of science and technology, as well as the drive to achieve social economic development through regional balance, resulted in the establishment of additional scienceoriented public universities, but with inadequate funding, which necessitated the inclusion of more marketable programs to supplement government funding. The article recommends that, the government should always conduct situational analyses, assess needs, and devise financial mobilization strategies in order for Ugandan universities to maintain their philosophies.
Establishing the viability of an institution ethnography inquiry to diagnose university culture
(Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 2021-05) Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria; Nkata, James L.; Lwanga Namale K., Elizabeth
This article proposes an ‘institution ethnography inquiry’ to establish dominant university culture to unravel hidden censures which have led to a divisive, deceptive and uncivil culture that has disrupted the normative flow of common sense. An integrative synthesis and review summaries were adopted to guide the discussion. To discern the type of culture that exists in these universities, two objectives were adopted; (i) analyze emerging university culture and its implications, and (ii) assess the significance of an institutional ethnography inquiry in extricating emerging university culture. Attributes of governance, leadership and personal traits were found to be fundamental pointers to both existing and emerging university culture. As a requisite for the adoption of this inquiry, four (4) theories were identified, reviewed and synthesized. All the theories revealed that the proposed inquiry had potential benefits to expose new-fangled and unique culture that blemished the academia, as well as the intricacies that surround institutional politics, that have infiltrated academia. Hence, an ethnography inquiry should be embraced and promoted as a mode of inquiry for its latency to unravel dysfunctional culture and tackle such contentious topics. Nonetheless, ethnographers must undergo intensive training in ethnography subtleties to gain superior competencies
Health remedy fallacies strike social media: what is the role of development education?
(African Journal of Governance and Development, 2019-12) Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria; Kibazo, Peter
The advent of social media has resulted in unequalled excitement but also risks, especially when postings are health-related and not supported by scientific evidence. Unfortunately, the majority of social media users tend to embrace and utilise every health remedy (alternative medicines) posted on social media without questioning their authenticity or even the authors’ credibility, since these ‘information creators’ never display their addresses of even their identities, but the users proceed to ‘ingest’ these remedies. The paper further discusses why social media users become receptive and passive to unsubstantiated information, thereby threatening their health. The authors adopted ‘The Uses and Gratifications Theory’ and ‘The Theory of Social Media Interaction’ to explain the increased fallacies appearing on social media, while the masses continue to be duped. Through an interactive approach, most users, although educated, were found to get excited the first time they landed on ‘useful information’ that hinders most of them from applying logic and critical thinking skills, which presumably, ‘development education’ should ably address at every level of education. Secondly, the power and popular appeal of social media, which quickly convinces and sways users, has affected their questioning stance. The paper thus concludes that people respond differently when it comes to health matters and this impacts their ability to critically analyse health related information. Further, medical professionals do not participate in fallacious arguments on social media is that (1) they make assumptions that the users are logical enough, and will only use such remedies after consulting with physicians and perhaps doing some research, and (2), their medical professional ethics do not allow them to publicly discuss unfounded claims related to medicine.
Higher education-community partnership: Extricating value addition with specific reference to student internship
(Kampala International University Research Journal (KIURJ), 2017-07) Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria
The paper discusses higher education-community partnerships, such as students’ internships and research that are often intended to promote quality, relevance, skills’ enrichment and socio-economic development. The paper assesses the management and value addition of students’ internships and higher education-community research partnerships. It critiques; the planning, organization, implementation, monitoring and assessment of students’ internship activities. The functionality and levels of participation in higher education community research is also analysed. Horkheimer (1982)’s Critical Theory was adopted to explain the relationship between higher education institutions (HEIs) and the community in which they reside. It is concluded that the power relations between the community and HEIs are lopsided. It is recommended that HEIs engage the community in a more meaningful and equitable fashion.
Intellectual curiosity or deception: An investigation into the practice of teaching outside area of expertise in Uganda
(Makerere Journal of Higher Education (MAJOHE), 2017) Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria; Namubiru Ssentamu, Proscovia
Teaching outside one’s area of expertise is increasingly common in higher education institutions (HEIs). Yet institutions and scholars are treating the subject as a taboo. Debate on the subject has been kept hush-hush—citing potential jeopardy to the institutions’ image. In this paper, the authors explore the reasons for the trend. The authors adopted Carl Rogers’ Theory to answer four questions: 1) What drives academicians to teach outside their area of primary expertise? 2) What are the implications of teaching outside one’s area of expertise? 3) What is the performance of those teaching outside their expertise? 4) What strategies are in place to regulate the practice? Data was collected from two HEIs in Uganda. This was done using interviews, students’ evaluations and teaching time-tables. Staff job descriptions and profiles were also analysed. It was concluded that the practice is not affecting quality. Regardless, the paper urges HEIs to be judicious in allowing the practice.
The invisible accomplishments of faculty in Ugandan Universities: An ‘Iceberg Tip Metaphor’
(Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 2021-10) Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria; Nkata L., James; Namubiru S., Proscovia
The evaluation of faculty accomplishments has remained unresolved and contentious, threatening the quality of all university functions. Whereas performance evaluation of faculty is derived from their mandate of teaching, research, and community service, there has been no comprehensive tool that specifically measures aspects of quality, effectiveness or even commitment. As a result, without a comprehensive and reliable evaluation tool to evaluate faculty members’ performance, institutional quality may suffer, as may faculty enthusiasm, emotional engagement, and commitment, all of which are vulnerable to institutional productivity and visibility. The paper concludes that the lack of a comprehensive tool to measure all faculty activities affected mechanisms to acquire evidence for certain accomplishments. Therefore, Universities must develop a comprehensive tool to capture multiple accomplishments as a basis for performance evaluations to inform personnel decisions that go beyond class time and paper publications in order to restore visibility of fundamental faculty accomplishments.
A paradox in the supervision of doctoral candidates in Ugandan higher education institutions (HEIs)
(International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, 2021-12) Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria; Nkata L., James
The paper examines the dynamics and complex dimensions in doctoral supervision in different disciplinary contexts in higher education institutions (HEIs), given that institutional success and reputation depends on ‘research output,’ which creates visibility and competitive advantage. However, traditional doctoral supervision, which frequently results in research output, has remained contradictory and complex due to its multi-layered, challenging, and conflicting tasks. The authors contend that while doctoral supervision necessitates a high caliber pool of trained academics and professionals, with reasonable accommodation and respect for one another, strong ethical values, cordial relationships, and professionalism, institutions continue to face unprecedented challenges in not only finding all of the attributes in a single supervisor, but also finding the best supervision model to employ. The paper concludes that, because supervisors are appointed based on their methodological, experience, and content expertise, the other essential attributes for effective supervision should be incorporated into policies. As a result, in order to resolve supervision nuances, institutions should implement flawless doctoral supervision guidelines and provide healthy supervision environments.
Politics in staff representation and democracy in higher education institutions in Uganda: extricating the actors' intentions
(International Journal of Technology and Management, 2017) Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria; Namara, Rose
The article examines the influence of representative politics on democracy in higher education institutions (HEIs). The research attempted to answer three main questions: (1) What are the intentions of the aspirants in their struggle to represent their constituents? (2) Why do electorates decide to or not to vote for the competing aspirants? (3) How has representative politics promoted democracy in the institutions? The study employed an ethnographic research. A qualitative approach was supported by a longitudinal design to collect data in two HEIs - Makerere University and Uganda Management Institute - from November 2009 to April 2015. Results revealed that aspirants had both personal and constituent-related desires as pushing factors for them to stand for elective positions. Ideological pursuits, academic achievements, personal gains and friendship with aspirants were also identified as motivating factors. The study was guided by the Theory of Rational Choice and Bandura’s Model of reasoned action. The article concludes that representative politics in HEIs did not enhance ideals of accountability and responsiveness as desired in democratic institutions; rather, it served the personal interests of representatives.
Teaching-learning quality assurance benchmarks and characteristics that promote learner outcomes among Public Administration students at Uganda Management Institute: An exploratory study.
(International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, 2013-03) Basheka, Benon; Nkata L., James; Kaguhangire-Barifaijo, Maria
In today’s academic environment, leaders at higher educational institutions face increasing demands as stakeholders’ expectations rise and resources diminish (Randall and Coakley, 2007). This paper examines student’s perspectives on the measures of teaching –learning quality assurance benchmarks and study environment conditions, which are likely to promote attainment of the learners’ outcomes. Of the 294 students who were sampled for the study, 279 returned the completed survey instrument suggesting a response rate of 94.5%. The paper identifies critical learning and teaching quality assurance benchmarks and a number of facilitator-student behaviors considered by students as pertinent for the realization of their learning outcomes. The results are original and compare well to the existing body of local and international literature.

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