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Graduates narrate ordeal of studying expired course
Graduands of Bachelor of Laws during the 73rd graduation ceremony at Makerere University, Kampala on February 13. PHOTO/FRANK BAGUMA
What you need to know:
Ugandan universities have made headlines since start of the week for allegedly teaching unaccredited courses christened by the state regulator, the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), as “expired”. What it means is that the degree and diploma programmes do not exist and institutions should neither admit nor graduate students on them. As our reporter Lydia Felly Akullu found out, the problem had been long running and officials of affected universities over the years simply ignored the plight of complaining students and graduates.
Dream to study in America falls apart
“I first found out about the ‘expired’ status of my course while seeking a change on my transcripts, to differentiate course units. Ugandan universities do not offer Master’s degree training in the course in question; so, my only option was to seek to pursue graduate studies abroad and that has been the agenda of three of us (graduates). In Uganda, a person who has done such a course can only be employed by Uganda Cancer Institute [where job openings are scarce]. This makes them hungrier to explore opportunities outside Uganda with every chance they get.
I, however, learnt that my study programme expired in 2017, seven years down the road. I tested this when I wanted to apply [for graduate studies] at the University of Washington [in the United States]. It angers me that I was not eligible to apply because my programme had expired. I paid Shs100,00 to the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE). [NCHE is the statutory regulator of higher education in Uganda and every higher education student every year pays the Council Shs20,000].
I studied four years and that [means my cumulative contribution to NCHE] was Shs80,000. But then I lost one of my receipts and this meant that I had to pay [another Shs20,000] again. [It turns out I paid my money for nothing [and now] I cannot further my studies.
Upon receiving a rejection letter from the University of Washington, I wrote to the university deputy Vice Chancellor on May 3 [to petition about my fate], and I did not get a response, which was expected.
My similarly affected colleagues on May 17 wrote to the executive director of the NCHE, but they have received no response. NCHE is sleeping on their job. Some of my colleagues have been denied employment opportunities outside of Uganda.
The fact that many students did not know how affected they were until hell broke loose, shows that the NCHE and university authorities intended to keep students in the dark. They have been conniving to do this, to keep the state in the dark about the unaccredited courses.”
Emma Kyaterekela Ochieng enrolled for a Bachelor’s of Science in Medical Radiography degree in 2018, graduating in 2023.
Sarah Muyita pursued a Bachelor’s in Animal Production Technology Management degree at Makerere University from 2017, graduating in 2021. Photo/Courtesy
Bounced by University of Bristol
“I found myself in a similar situation when I applied to the University of Bristol [in the United Kingdom] in November 2022 [to pursue] a Master’s degree in Climate Change.
The university sent me an email which read: ‘We have considered your application and we are sorry to advise that we are unable to offer you a place on the programme. Unfortunately, your course has not been awarded with the necessary accreditation requirements to satisfy our admissions policy.’
I shared a screenshot in my class WhatsApp group and one of my lecturers responded: ‘This issue has been raised by many people. I am yet to ascertain whether administration has been following it closely.’
There sparked a heated debate in the group, with students demanding an explanation from the Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine [and Animal Resources] to act on this issue. Students said such predicament should be the issues the school leaders should be raising in Senate and Council, and questioned how the university could run an unaccredited academic programme. The Dean responded: ‘We reviewed all programmes and [they] are now at [the] NCHE for accreditation’. I followed up with the Dean on January 31, but did not get a response. Then I approached the College Principal who told me to get in touch with the NCHE to rectify the said issue since programmes were under review.
After receiving a public advisory in which NCHE warned the public against doing unaccredited course, scared, I reached out to the Principal again and shared with him this piece of information and in response he said, ‘Dear, Sarah. Greetings to you. Makerere University will engage NCHE. Not satisfied by this response, I reached out to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, who did not give me a response.
My back up plan was that I had in May 2022 applied at Makerere University to pursue a Master’s degree in the same discipline, which admitted me. Again, even the Master’s degree I am doing is expired. Even before my incident, I had seen people from my college during my undergraduate studies complaining of the same. These [university officials] were just unbothered. And yet we pay NCHE fees.”
Sarah Muyita pursued a Bachelor’s in Animal Production Technology Management degree at Makerere University from 2017, graduating in 2021
A-level results saves lawyer
“I enrolled for law school in 2016 and graduated in 2020. I did [study post-graduate diploma in law at Law Development Centre]. Last year in July, I got employed as a tax and legal associate. However, my employer required that I do Association of Chartered Accountants (ACCA) course. So, I made an application for the same and I used my transcript from Makerere University, but the application was rejected by ACCA office.
The email reply read: ‘I regret to advise your Bachelor of Laws [degree] from Makerere University is not accredited by the Ugandan National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).
Consequently, we are unable to offer you registration onto the ACCA examination scheme on the basis of this qualification.
This document must be issued or endorsed by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB); a certificate or transcript issued by a secondary school is unacceptable’.
They asked me to use my Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) as a basis for application and that’s what they relied on [instead of] my undergraduate degree.”
Since then, I just excused myself from Makerere University. They could do nothing to change [my situation]. I was actually shocked by the [ACCA rejection] email. Like why isn’t law programme at Makerere University accredited?”
The narrator chose anonymity to protect their job. They enrolled for a Bachelor’s of Law degree at Makerere University in 2016, graduating in 2020.
