Ugandan academic qualification circus

What you need to know:

  • Therefore, I suggest that Uganda potential employers should stay away from the academic qualifications syndrome. It is deceptive. Qualifications should be accompanied with other desirables when it comes to efficiency and productivity.

Prof William Bazeyo, who is the acting deputy vice chancellor, Finance and Administration at Makerere University, has seen his journey to being appointed substiantially to the post being prolonged due to allegations that his PhD qualification is not from a recognised academic institution. Recently, lawyers presented a petition to the search committee at the university, saying Bazeyo, a professor of Public Health, does not qualify for the position.

This was during a public presentation where Prof Bazeyo and two other candidates Anthony Musigha, a professor of Veterinary Sciences and Socio-economics, and Associate Prof Allan Mulengani Katwalo, the dean of School of Business and Applied Technology at Clark International University, talked about their plans for the university.

Whereas it is true that academic qualifications are important in one’s ability to perform, especially in highly specialised units and entities, this is not entirely the only enabler for that function. We continue to see persons with diplomas, certificates, or one degree, outperform the so-called highly qualified individuals.

Many successful Ugandan business people and corporate managers are not highly educated, but by all standards, they are largely successful.
This takes me to the recruitment process practiced by many Ugandan organisations as well as government.

Uganda’s public service job recruitment process is outdated and time costing. The current job market needs and challenges requires people to provide much more than academic qualifications.

Potential candidates must demonstrate what you would call soft skills like good interpersonal skills, computer literacy, team work skills, stakeholder management skills, ability to manage costs, integrity, self-control attributes etc.

Individuals who are not team players and are not mindful of cost reduction and containment, and are not innovative, should never be given opportunities. The job demands of 20 years ago are no longer relevant today yet the recruitment processes and desires are not changing.

Prospective employees should be given practical scenarios in an employment setting for at least three weeks to demonstrate their abilities rather than looking at merely academic qualifications.

I, therefore, call upon the stakeholders in recruitment processes to review the job recruitment requirements and place academic qualifications at the tail end. When I relate with one of the organisations I have worked for, productivity is the determinant of your score during performance appraisal, not qualifications.

In fact, it is on record that less qualified personnel have continued to outperform individuals with high academic qualifications.

Therefore, I suggest that Uganda potential employers should stay away from the academic qualifications syndrome. It is deceptive. Qualifications should be accompanied with other desirables when it comes to efficiency and productivity.

Sam Tinka,
[email protected]