The administration of Makerere University will face an iron arm of the law, as a section of students have threatened to sue the institution in courts of law, for their names missing on the graduation list, yet they met all requirements.
The university’s five-day 72nd graduation has today entered a second day, and students from the School of Education, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, are expected to be awarded degrees, certificates and diplomas for Makerere University, in addition to those who received similar awards yesterday.
However, hundreds of students, whose names didn’t appear in the graduation book have raised a red flag, and threatened to sue the institution in the courts of law, for justice to be served.
Even as thousands of students were jubilating for reaching this marvelous milestone, several were shading tears, nodding their heads and insulting the East Africa’s oldest institution, for this ordeal they are going through.
Yet it is a formidable task to meet a long list of requirements for graduation, these students were unfortunately not on the final list, even as they reportedly followed every criteria.
Complaints were so much pronounced amongst students from the College of Education and College of Business And Management Sciences, who expressed their dissatisfaction with the university management for not including them on the final graduation list.
As if this was not enough, some of them have already petitioned the office of the Inspector General of Government for redress on this matter.
Counsel Najib Kasole while talking to 88.8 CBS FM contended that any students in institutions of higher learning who meet the requirements, but excluded from graduating with others, has a right to sue the institution in courts of law court , for justice to be served.
“Any students, in any institution of higher learning, who meet the preliquisites to graduate like paying tution, sitting for and passing exams, plus other requirements, but doesn’t appear in the graduation book, over mistakes which are solely not of their own making, rather the recklessness of the institution, he/she has a right to sue the institution in courts of law, and thereupon requests the presiding magistrate for compensation, in form of damages,” Said Kasole.
According to trusted sources, a section of 24 students from the school of education have decided to take to courts of law, in order to seek clarifications from the University, as to why they were not included on the final graduation list, yet they met all the requirements.
These students also allege that their names appeared on the first draft graduation list, but wonder why they were arased on the final list.
“Sonko Fred, Bachelor of science with Education. I have all the marks, I owe them no single penny for I am on government sponsorship. On the first draft, my name didn’t appear because my research marks were missing, I took it upon my self, in collaboration with my supervisors, and I was awarded marks.
Together with my colleagues, our names were included on the second draft. We alerted our parents at home and well wishers that we are to graduate onTuesday, but we are suprised our names are not on the final list,” remarked one of the aggrieved parties.
“Kauma Sharon, we supplied all what was needed, we have all the marks, we paid all the monies we owed the campus, but the VC refused to include us on the final list,” said another aggrieved student.
Yusuf Kiranda, secretary for Makerere University, said the responsible parties have started looking deep into the matter to see where mistakes stemmed from, to graduate into such a sad scenario.
He however underlined that there is nothing the university can do for these students, and that they must not appear in the graduation tent.
On a positive note, he said the institution will supply authentic documents to those who will have been confirmed not to have appeared in the graduation book erroneously, and that their degrees will be ratified.
“There is being at the freedom square, but if we later on confirm that the students passed their papers and were cleared by the university commitees, their documents will be supplied, together with their degrees. It’s not something the university cannot sort out, everything can be cleared,” said Kiranda.
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