Makerere to issue transcripts at graduation
Jan 04, 2010
MAKERERE University will from this year give out academic transcripts on the day of graduation. The next graduation week kicks off on Monday, January 18.
By Francis Kagolo
MAKERERE University will from this year give out academic transcripts on the day of graduation. The next graduation week kicks off on Monday, January 18.
All the 13,177 graduates this month will walk away with their transcripts on the respective days of their graduation.
Vice-chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba announced the new development during a press conference at the university yesterday.
“So far we have produced 8,502 transcripts of the 13,177 graduands. We shall print the rest in the remaining days,†he said.
Baryamureeba revealed that the university had contracted a UK-based company, Smith & Ouznan, to print certificates which will also be distributed two weeks after the graduation.
He said the move, which has taken the university 87 years to achieve, will save graduates from wasting time returning to the university to pick their academic transcripts. It will also make it easier for them to find jobs immediately after graduation.
However, Baryamureeba warned that only graduands who have cleared all their fees with the university would receive their transcripts. This involves paying all university dues and other requirements.
“Out of the 13,177 students slated for this January’s graduation, only 6,429 have cleared all their fees,†he said.
Alfred Masikye Namoah, the academic registrar, explained that issuing transcripts would be decentralised and taken to faculty level to avoid congestion at the Senate building.
In the past, it would take graduates over a year to get their transcripts from Makerere, unlike some private universities like Nkozi and Uganda Christian University.
Getting a partial transcript, which did not even bear the year of graduation, also took almost a month.
Last year, however, the university introduced a system whereby candidates apply to graduate. This, coupled with the computerisation of the academic registrar’s department, enables speedy production of transcripts.
Meanwhile, the university also announced the opening of two study centres upcountry in a move, Baryamureeba said, was intended to “take the university to the communities.â€
The university branch in Fort Portal will offer six bachelor’s degree courses, including business administration, commerce and science in quantitative surveying, land economics and business statistics.
The second will be set up in Jinja to offer bachelor’s in computer science, information technology, tourism, development studies and law. A total of 100 students will be admitted for each course, according to Baryamureeba.
“Parents who cannot afford the high cost of living in Kampala should take their students to these upcountry centres. The teaching, assessment and examinations will be similar to those at Makerere,†he said.
He added that they plan to open more branches, even abroad, if the first two succeed.
The university boss announced a plan to link all upcountry centres with the main campus through videoconferencing.
According to the plan, each centre will have a resident official from the university’s academic quality assurance directorate.
Baryamureeba also announced that they would engage in talks with the National Insurance Corporation instead of seeking legal action.
Makerere and NIC have been grumbling for four years over the sh17b pension funds the company reportedly owes the university staff.
Baryamureeba also said there will be no strike and the graduation ceremony will not be cancelled over the issue. The university academic staff association (MUASA) last week threatened action in protest against the listing of NIC on the stock market.
But MUASA chairperson Tanga Odoi, who also attended the briefing, warned him. “We respect you and your entire team,†he told the vice-chancellor.
“But if your management commits similar mistakes of the past team, we shall react against you.â€
On calls for the university chancellor, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera, to resign over the mismanagement of NSSF, Baryamureeba said he should act upon the findings of the Auditor General’s report.
“He (Kagonyera) said if the Auditor General implicated him in wrongdoing, he would resign. I have read in the press that the Auditor General’s report implicates him. He should come out and make a statement.â€
Baryamureeba noted that it would be sad if the university council had to discuss Kagonyera’s fate.
He also said he was determined to suspend the five student leaders who were last semester issued with warning letters over addressing press conferences.
The five are academic affairs minister Ritah Nansubuga, campus affairs minister Lawrence Sewino and Anthony Waddimba, a second-year student of economics. Others are Shaban Senkubuge and Ismail Kigongo, guild council representatives.
According to Baryamureeba, the university rules bar students from talking to the media.
“We are not going to set such a bad precedent. On January 30, when the university opens, I will suspend them,†he stressed.
MAKERERE University will from this year give out academic transcripts on the day of graduation. The next graduation week kicks off on Monday, January 18.
All the 13,177 graduates this month will walk away with their transcripts on the respective days of their graduation.
Vice-chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba announced the new development during a press conference at the university yesterday.
“So far we have produced 8,502 transcripts of the 13,177 graduands. We shall print the rest in the remaining days,†he said.
Baryamureeba revealed that the university had contracted a UK-based company, Smith & Ouznan, to print certificates which will also be distributed two weeks after the graduation.
He said the move, which has taken the university 87 years to achieve, will save graduates from wasting time returning to the university to pick their academic transcripts. It will also make it easier for them to find jobs immediately after graduation.
However, Baryamureeba warned that only graduands who have cleared all their fees with the university would receive their transcripts. This involves paying all university dues and other requirements.
“Out of the 13,177 students slated for this January’s graduation, only 6,429 have cleared all their fees,†he said.
Alfred Masikye Namoah, the academic registrar, explained that issuing transcripts would be decentralised and taken to faculty level to avoid congestion at the Senate building.
In the past, it would take graduates over a year to get their transcripts from Makerere, unlike some private universities like Nkozi and Uganda Christian University.
Getting a partial transcript, which did not even bear the year of graduation, also took almost a month.
Last year, however, the university introduced a system whereby candidates apply to graduate. This, coupled with the computerisation of the academic registrar’s department, enables speedy production of transcripts.
Meanwhile, the university also announced the opening of two study centres upcountry in a move, Baryamureeba said, was intended to “take the university to the communities.â€
The university branch in Fort Portal will offer six bachelor’s degree courses, including business administration, commerce and science in quantitative surveying, land economics and business statistics.
The second will be set up in Jinja to offer bachelor’s in computer science, information technology, tourism, development studies and law. A total of 100 students will be admitted for each course, according to Baryamureeba.
“Parents who cannot afford the high cost of living in Kampala should take their students to these upcountry centres. The teaching, assessment and examinations will be similar to those at Makerere,†he said.
He added that they plan to open more branches, even abroad, if the first two succeed.
The university boss announced a plan to link all upcountry centres with the main campus through videoconferencing.
According to the plan, each centre will have a resident official from the university’s academic quality assurance directorate.
Baryamureeba also announced that they would engage in talks with the National Insurance Corporation instead of seeking legal action.
Makerere and NIC have been grumbling for four years over the sh17b pension funds the company reportedly owes the university staff.
Baryamureeba also said there will be no strike and the graduation ceremony will not be cancelled over the issue. The university academic staff association (MUASA) last week threatened action in protest against the listing of NIC on the stock market.
But MUASA chairperson Tanga Odoi, who also attended the briefing, warned him. “We respect you and your entire team,†he told the vice-chancellor.
“But if your management commits similar mistakes of the past team, we shall react against you.â€
On calls for the university chancellor, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera, to resign over the mismanagement of NSSF, Baryamureeba said he should act upon the findings of the Auditor General’s report.
“He (Kagonyera) said if the Auditor General implicated him in wrongdoing, he would resign. I have read in the press that the Auditor General’s report implicates him. He should come out and make a statement.â€
Baryamureeba noted that it would be sad if the university council had to discuss Kagonyera’s fate.
He also said he was determined to suspend the five student leaders who were last semester issued with warning letters over addressing press conferences.
The five are academic affairs minister Ritah Nansubuga, campus affairs minister Lawrence Sewino and Anthony Waddimba, a second-year student of economics. Others are Shaban Senkubuge and Ismail Kigongo, guild council representatives.
According to Baryamureeba, the university rules bar students from talking to the media.
“We are not going to set such a bad precedent. On January 30, when the university opens, I will suspend them,†he stressed.