Closed Busoga varsity graduation postponed again
What you need to know:
- President Museveni, in a letter dated January 8 to the Minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni directed government to takeover two struggling private universities; Mountains of the Moon and Busoga University, naming a committee chaired by Dr Muyingo to oversee the process.
Jinja. The graduation ceremony of Busoga University that had been slated for last Friday has been deferred.
According to the university dean of students, Mr Job Mwegombi, a new date will be communicated after the Minister of Higher Education, Dr Chrysostom Muyingo, has screened all the students’ academic documents to verify their authenticity.
Busoga University first set October 30 as the graduation date but pushed it to November 30 to reportedly allow students to clear and make necessary preparations.
“We have been sending messages to all students; you mean you never received a message postponing the graduation? The new date will be communicated after the validation exercise is complete,” Mr Mwegombi said.
Mr Emmanuel Eunyu, a student of Law, who is among those waiting to graduate, said he has no objection to the minister’s order.
However, the Iganga District chairperson, Mr Patrick Kayemba, who also sits on the transitional committee, said the ongoing screening exercise is aimed at relocating continuing students to other universities.
He added that the university authorities could also be using it as an excuse after collecting graduation fees from more than 300 students.
“Students have been paying a lot of money as graduation fees because they desperately want to graduate; it is unfortunate their parents have lost their money,’’ he said.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Muyingo who chairs the transitional committee were futile.
Background
The chairperson for National Council for Higher Education, Prof John Opuda, revoked the university’s operational license over its alleged failure to recruit qualified staff, teaching unaccredited courses and graduating students who did not meet the requirements.
President Museveni, in a letter dated January 8 to the Minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni directed government to takeover two struggling private universities; Mountains of the Moon and Busoga University, naming a committee chaired by Dr Muyingo to oversee the process.
