Expired courses: All degrees are within the law, says AG Kiryowa

Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka has assured Ugandans that all degrees that have been issued by various universities are valid and within the provision of the law.

Kiwanuka has emphasized that under the law, there is no provision for the expiry of courses, describing it as a case of bad choice of words.

He was earlier today responding to concerns raised by Members of Parliament after the state minister for Higher Education Mr. John Chrysostom Muyingo presented a statement on the validity of accredited academic programmes by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).

“Under our law, there is no provision for expiry of courses. The country needs to remain calm, the courses are still valid,” Kiryowa said.

This follows media reports on ‘expired’ academic programmes that have caused panic among learners, parents, and employers.

While presiding over the plenary session, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa tasked the minister to ensure the Council replaces the word expiry with under review in its subsequent communication to the public and media because the former is unnecessarily alarming.

In his statement to the House, Minister Muyingo explained that in this context “Expiry” of accreditation, as reflected on the NCHE website, means that the programme needs re-assessment to establish whether the key aspects upon which approval was granted are still in place.

“Expiry’ of accreditation, as reflected on the NCHE website, means that the programme needs re-assessment to establish whether the key aspects upon which accreditation was granted are still in place,” State Minister for Higher Education, Mr. John Chrysostom Muyingo told MPs.

Institutions with programmes requiring reassessment have been urged to submit them for reassessment by 30th November 2023.

The Deputy Speaker has referred the statement to the education committee for handling the issues raised.

Written by Prossy Kisakye