All of us qualified honourably

SIR—We react to a recent article entitled “Makerere gave them bicupuli papers,”. There were 55 pioneer students of Duhaga PTC, Hoima. On behalf of that group we wish to state as follows:lThe author of the letter is a liar who, for selfish reasons, and malice claims to have been one of us at college.l The writer is ignorant of teacher education and PTC systems In teacher’s colleges the policy is that after the two- year course, a successful student’s certificate bears a registration index number determined by the the year of graduation. In our case, having been enrolled in 1982, all of us did teaching practice in 1983/84. Most of us passed it and the results were kept awaiting written examination in 1986. The certificates had to bear the year 1985 because we were supposed to have completed in early 1984.lThe same writer maliciously hinted on someone he called a “live example” of an official working with Hoima Education Department as one of the 30 students who allegedly bought a certificate from Makerere University Academic Registrar officials at sh500,000. He ignored the fact that the officer in question some time ago had cleared himself and explained his position on Radio Hoima. This was later on supported by the communique from the permanent secretary, Ministry of Education on February 28. He wrote a a letter to the Chief Administrative Officer, Hoima, with an attached list of 55 students who had passed both teaching practice and written examinations.lAuthentic records from the Education Service Commission show that we were admitted by the Teaching Service Commission to pursue the Grade III teachers’ course (1982) and 88 students were enrolled. Ten students did not turn up for the course, and 10 were discontinued or left for various reasons. At the first attempt, only 68 students wrote the written examinations, but unfortunately, the results were cancelled due to alleged malpractices. When we resat in 1986, nine students did not come back. Out of 59 who resat, 55 passed and four failed. The permanent secretary, the district education officer Hoima and the academic registrar of Makerere are aware of all these details. Let the writer of that malicious letter name a single student who bought a certificate.Pioneer studentsDuhaga PTC Old Students Associationends