With job hunting getting more difficult especially in Uganda, the suspension of the issuance of academic transcripts by Makerere University has triggered panic among former students searching for job placements and those seeking to enroll for post graduate studies.
The University shut down the online marks system and suspended the issuance of academic transcripts early this month after it emerged that some staff in the academic registrar's office were tampering with student results.
Four Information Technology specialists including Christopher Ntwatwa, Mike Barongo, Janet Mbabazi and Ruth Iteu and Joyce Namusoke, the Registrar of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences were picked up in connection to the mess.
Now, the suspension of the issuance of the academic transcripts has left hundreds of students seeking to enroll for further studies or get employment stranded. The deadline for submitting applications for postgraduate studies at Makerere University is March 31, 2017.
According to information obtained from the university official website, the applicants are required to submit their completed application forms to the Directorate of Research and Graduate training together with certified copies of certificates and academic transcripts.
However, most of the recently graduated students are yet to secure their transcripts. Gloria Ashabaheebwa, a recent graduate from Makerere University Margaret Trowel School of Industrial and Fine Art is one of those affected by the suspension of the issuance of the academic transcripts.
Ashabaheebwa says she had wanted to apply for a master's program but can't proceed without the academic transcript.
But, Richard Byarugaba, the Acting head of the university Senate Transcripts section, says the absence of transcripts shouldn't deter students from applying for the masters programs, saying the problem will be resolved soon.
"I would advise whoever is applying to continue and pay the application fee. The transcript issue will be sorted at a later time. It is still the same department that has closed the system and once this investigation is done, we shall be able to issue the transcripts," he said.
