Closed Busoga University sets new graduation date
What you need to know:
- In his December 1, 2017 letter revoking the University’s licence, the NCHE executive director, Prof John Opuda Asibo, accused the institution of lacking qualified staff, teaching uncredited programmes and awarding fake degrees to more than 1,000 students, mainly South Sudanese.
Busoga University, whose licence was in December 2017 revoked by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), has defiantly set October 30 as its graduation date.
This development was confirmed in a telephone interview with the secretary of the Iganga-based institution, Mr Edward Bamuhamye.
Mr Bamuhamye told this reporter who disguised as one of the students: “If you did your studies, completed and passed them, go to the university, register and prepare for your graduation because even if it (the university) was closed or its purported closure was there, it cannot affect those who had completed their studies,’’ he said.
He added: “According to the law, the closure would only affect those who want to join. There has been a lot of misinterpretation of the law by people who think they are experts on education and are causing confusion among students and parents.’’
Mr Bamuhamye, who is also the university chief legal advisor, said if the students choose not to graduate, the university will not lose.
However, the Iganga District chairperson, Mr Patrick Kayemba, who also sits on the transitional committee, described the graduation as a mockery.
“The graduation is 100 per cent fake. And even the transition committee does not recognise Busoga as a legitimate university because government announced its takeover after its closure,’’ Mr Kayemba said.
According to Mr Kayemba, continuing students were supposed to be relocated but the current administration frustrated the process.
He further divulged that the Church which owns the university, dissolved its board and ordered withdrawal of the case from court.
“The Church has finalised the process of handing over the university and land to government. Under which law and license are they operating and graduating the students? They just want to cheat parents which I will not accept as the area leader,’’ Mr Kayemba vowed.
The university guild president, Mr Emmanuel Eunyu, who is among those expected to graduate, declined to comment on the issue saying he was busy finalising with his research work the NCHE spokesperson, Mr Saul Waigolo, referred us to the minister for Higher Education, Mr Chrysestom Muyingo.
But efforts to get a comment from Mr Muyingo were futile as his known telephone number was off by press time.
