Clarification On Makerere University Degrees Academic Registrar
The Daily Monitor on Tuesday 12th September 2017 published an article titled; Makerere moves to recall degrees issued from 2011 and other media subsequently reported the story.
In the BBC edition of 13th September 2017, it was indicated that ‘300 students had their degree results changed and that in the year 2015, the University discovered that the results had been tampered with.’
Another report in The EastAfrican newspaper indicated that ‘a crisis is brewing in the legal profession following a decision by Makerere University to recall degrees obtained in the last decade’.
On the issue of recalling degrees, the office of the Academic Registrar wishes to clarify that the affected number of students are 69 who graduated from the University in the last five Graduation sets. Thus if the investigations prove beyond reasonable doubt that the 69 students graduated with altered marks and/or without fulfilling all the requirements, and following a fair hearing for each of the 69 affected students, then the degrees will be recalled in line with the University policy.
When the University received information on possible alteration of marks, Makerere University Senate instituted an investigation into the matter. The investigation revealed that a number of continuing students’ records had been tampered with. These are continuing students and not graduates. The affected students were summoned to appear before the Central Ad hoc Examinations, Irregularities and Malpractices (Alteration of Marks Committee). The Committee has concluded their investigations on some cases and those students who have been found to have a hand in the alteration of marks have been given the punishments they deserve. The investigations also revealed that some of the continuing students conspired with some members of staff to alter marks on the Results Management System. In this regard, members of staff who were implicated in this have either been suspended or dismissed.
Alfred Masikye Namoah
ACADEMIC REGISTRAR