Rumours have it that some University finalists had already bought their graduation suits and dresses but it looks like they might have to keep the much longer as hopes of ending their final semesters have become so deem due to the COVID-19 lockdown extension.
It is worth noting that before the President slapped a lockdown upon Uganda’s Economy, many students who happened to be University finalists were due to complete their final semesters. Some finalists at Uganda Christian University had been scheduled to start their final exams on 7th April, 2020 and later on graduate on 4th July, 2020 but all this was frustrated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts by the University’s Vice Chancellor to ensure that students do online exams turned out fruitless as H.E. Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni banned the issuance of these exams asking the University to be patient and that this system is not all-inclusive.
Other Institutions like Makerere University also had their students getting ready for their final exams and graduation scheduled for December (Kyambogo) and January, 2021 (MAK) but the same won’t be happening anytime soon with some people predicting that Educational facilities might be reopened in September. Considering the difficulties associated with implementing eLearning strategies, one might as well agree with those that speculate about schools being reopened in September.
President Museveni on Monday extended the lockdown for more 14 days and did emphasize the need to keep schools closed. ”We thought about our grandchildren. I don’t want them to go back to these schools yet because I don’t want sick grandchildren. How will they travel from home to school? Ah ah I don’t feel comfortable. Let the students stay at home,” he used.
Indeed, the Corona Virus might have just flattened the graduation curve of many finalists!
