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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There is a bitter row between law students at the Islamic University in Uganda and the administration over missing coursework marks. Over the past weeks, students in the law faculty have silently been planning protests against the university administration over the missing coursework marks.
The students allege that some of their colleagues especially in the fourth year are missing coursework marks from semester one of their first year at the university. The students accuse their lecturers of failing to upload the coursework and test marks into the system, which has delayed the printing of their examination cards.
Currently, IUIU students are writing their semester two examinations. However, each student has to present an exam card before they can be allowed in. The students say that they cannot access the examination cards because of the missing marks since the cards are generated upon completion of requirements.
On Monday, police deployed heavily at the IUIU main campus to block the planned student demonstration. The university administration held an emergency meeting with the students where they complained about maladministration in the faculty.
The students accused the dean faculty of Law, Hamida Nagadya of mistreating them and poor customer care. During the meeting, Enock Ebubula, a 4th year Student of Law said that that Nagadya who is the acting dean is the only administrator in the entire faculty.
Judith Sanya, another fourth-year student accused the university administration of failure to value students, adding that they have severally written to the administration on their grievances but nothing has been done.
Eily Akello, another student says that the university delays solving students challenges on missing marks in order to charge them extra fees especially those in the final year.
Yasin Wabomba, a third-year student of law said the challenges within the faculty are caused by the top university administration, noting that the issues that the students are raising started way back before the current dean took over office.
He said that he applied for remarking of two papers and paid shillings 200,000 but his papers have never been remarked.
Yusuf Welunga, the former IUIU Guild President who is also a law student, said that the university administration does not involve student leaders on issues that affect students, which has created a gap. He says that the faculty of law is run by one person who is acting as the dean, the deputy dean and the examination coordinator.
Dr. Halima Akbar, the Academic Registrar apologized to the students for the mishaps and promised to address their grievances as soon as possible.
Dr. Jamilu Sserwanga, the IUIU Vice-Rector in charge of Academic Affairs said that the administration understands the student’s problems and they are working on them.
He said that whereas there are students with genuine complaints of missing marks, there are some who never submitted their courseworks and want to use this as an excuse.
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