As government struggles to create more jobs for youth leaving Universities and other tertiary institutions, the youth could remain unemployed due to lack of academic papers, proving completion of school.
As we report, over 100 students who graduated from Makerere University in February this year have petitioned the office of Vice Chancellor demanding for the immediate release of their transcripts.
A total of 14,897 students graduated during the four-day ceremony that took place in February. However, the event was overshadowed by allegations of alteration of students' marks and later, reports that the university system had been hacked into by unknown personnel. A day to the graduation ceremony, the university management deleted 53 students from the graduation list.
As a result of marks alteration, four administrative assistants in the office of academic registrar; Mike Barongo, the head of ICT, Dennis Mbabazi, Joyce Namusoke, and Christopher Ntwatwa were arrested and quizzed by the police.
In April, the university academic registrar Alfred Masikye Namoah sent back February Graduands marks to their respective colleges/schools for verification before transcripts are processed.
To date, only two colleges; College Of Health Science and College of Agriculture and environmental sciences have completed manual verification of marks and sent them back to the Academic Registrar for issuance of transcripts.
But the students are demanding that their transcripts be availed by June 15, warning that they will engage in actions which may "ruin the institution's reputation" if management fails to heed to their demand.
"We have patiently, respectfully and patiently engaged with relevant authorities at the university without much progress. All the promises, assurances and timeliness we have been given to be able to get our transcripts have not been honored," the petition signed by 135 graduates reads in part.
Howwe learnt from Mouris Opolot, a Bachelor of Journalism and Communication graduate that the absence of transcripts is sabotaging their search for employment.
Another former student, Katsigazi Jackson, a Bachelor Social Science student said Makerere University administration should emulate Prof Venansius Baryamureeba during whose administration; Graduands received transcripts on graduation day. Baryamureeba served as Makerere University Acting Vice Chancellor between 2009 and 2012.
Their petition, dated May 25 was received by the office of the Vice chancellor Prof Ddumba Ssentamu on June 6. It was copied to University Secretary, Academic Registrar, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics and Makerere University Convocation.
The university Vice Chancellor Prof John Ddumba Sentamu us, that the delay is administrative.
"We are not holding the transcripts in bad faith. I have not been in office today but I will look for the Academic Registrar so that we can discuss the petition" Prof Ddumba said.
