Kyambogo varsity students protest over missing marks

Students of Kyambogo University have raised concern after their names did not appear on the graduation list.

A total of 12,080 students, who did various courses, are set to graduate in a three-day ceremony which starts today.

Some of the affected students, who spoke to Daily Monitor, said their marks were not uploaded on the university’s portal.

Mr Kenneth Katumba, a student from the Faculty of Arts and Social Science, said he retook a paper in the first semester of his third year but the marks were never uploaded.

“I have reached all officials concerned, demanding for my results to be uploaded but all in vain. The registrar of our college has been pushing us to the head of department but he has not been in office for the last two weeks,” he said.

He added: “When we contacted him, he told us that he cannot upload results on the portal until general performance has been discussed by the department. He kept on promising us that they will address our issue until the deadline.”

Mr Katumba said there are about 30 students in his department with missing marks. He added that other departments are facing similar issues and the number of students missing graduation over the same could exceed 100.

Missing marks

Another student, who preferred anonymity to speak freely, said: “We have been engaging our lecturers on this issue. All offices concerned were reached but all in vain. The final straw was on November 28 when we tried to get back to the head of department for the final verdict, only to be told that he was sick and out of office.”

The students asked the university to at least print their transcripts because they have all the requirements.

When contacted, the guild president, Mr Serge Tumwine, said about 20 students approached him about the same issue but it was too late to help them.

“There will be a senate meeting as soon as the graduation ends to discuss the cause of why they have failed to graduate. The senate also promised to give them transcripts as long as they have all the marks and have cleared all the university dues,” he said.

During a press conference on Monday, the vice chancellor Prof Elly Katunguka, said about two to three students were missing on the graduation list because of glitches in the system. He promised to address the issue as soon as the graduation ends, adding that they will get their transcripts.

He, however, said another 30 students, who were claiming to have passed but were missing on the graduation list, had retakes.

Prof Katunguka said eight students were removed from the list for allegedly altering their marks.