By Elizabeth Kamurungi
Makerere University has launched an investigation into the sale of marks at the institution following an exposé by Daily Monitor that lifted the lid on the growing vice. In a public notice dated December 6, the university calls upon members of the public with any information about the issue to submit it to the academic registrar’s office. Channels like phone contacts and emails have been opened for individuals to send in what they know.
“Reference is made to an article published in the Daily Monitor of Thursday, 26th of October 2023, titled: “Marks for sale at universities”…Makerere University has launched an investigation into these alleged malpractice and wishes to credible information about the issue of “Marks for sale” at Makerere University, or any other credible information incidental to this investigation to submit the same …”the notice states.
An investigation spanning three months by Daily Monitor revealed that students at Makerere and Kyambogo universities were bribing teaching staff for better marks. The information was captured in clips of recorded conversations,text and WhatsApp messages.
The “Marks for sale at Makerere and Kyambogo universities,” article unearthed a network involving full and part time lectures, marking assistants and middlemen who move the cash. Uproar greeted the findings, prompting the Minister for Higher Education, Mr John Muyingo, and the vice chancellor forum to call for a wider probe to nab the culprits.
We could not establish the membership of the investigation committee and how long the probe will run, as efforts to speak to the chairperson were futile by press time.
