Seven years after walking off the graduation stage, a group of former Kyambogo University students say their diplomas have become a curse rather than a credential, locking them out of the very teaching careers they enrolled to pursue.
The graduates, who completed their studies in 2019, accuse the university of dropping the ball on a long-running dispute over the title of their qualification, a dispute that has now cast a long shadow over their employment prospects.
The Course They Thought They Signed Up For
The affected students were admitted in 2017 through the Joint Admissions Board (JAB) system under a Ministry of Education and Sports scholarship scheme. According to them, they were placed on a teaching pathway for a Diploma in Physical Education and Sports Management, with the clear understanding that they would qualify as teachers upon completion.
Instead, they graduated in 2019 with a Diploma in Sports Management, a qualification they argue does not reflect the teaching role they signed up for.
“We applied for physical education and sports management. We studied it. But at graduation, we were given sports management certification,” said Haruna Muwanguzi, one of the affected graduates. “At no point were we told the programme had changed.”
Muwanguzi explained that the cohort of 28 students studied for three years between 2017 and 2019, only discovering the change in the programme’s name at graduation. He said repeated attempts to get clarification from the university over several months hit a brick wall.
The graduates claim the problem didn’t end with their intake. A second cohort of about 18 students was reportedly admitted to the same programme in 2018, before the course was discontinued altogether.
Stuck in Limbo at NCHE
The matter has since been escalated to the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), which acknowledged receipt of the complaint in 2025 but added a significant detail: the programme had not been accredited at the time the students applied and were admitted.
Yet the graduates say they have received no substantive update, report, or conclusion from the regulator since.
“We followed up several times, but there has been no response on the progress of the investigation,” Muwanguzi said. “We feel abandoned and in limbo.”
The students further allege that NCHE recently told them the university had not responded to correspondence sent by the regulator, leaving the process stuck in the mud.
When contacted, NCHE spokesperson Saulo Waigolo declined to comment in detail. “The case is still under investigation and so the council cannot comment on it,” he said, though the regulator did confirm the programme had not been accredited at the time of admission.
The University Pushes Back
Kyambogo University rejected claims of wrongdoing. Speaking through its principal communications officer, Reuben Twinomujuni, the institution said the programme originally cited by students had undergone a review that resulted in a change of nomenclature to Diploma in Sports Management.
He maintained that students were informed of the available programme upon admission and proceeded to study and graduate accordingly.
“What they studied was a diploma in sports management. They were informed and they completed their studies,” he said, meaning, according to him, that the Diploma in Physical Education and Sports Management was non-existent at the time the students were admitted.
Twinomujuni added that communication between the department and the academic registrar supported the admission and programme alignment, and that students raised no formal objections during their studies. He also argued that employment challenges among graduates were a nationwide problem, not unique to this cohort.
The Human Cost
For the affected graduates, those explanations offer little comfort. Muwanguzi says he has been repeatedly rejected by employers who question the relevance and recognition of his qualification.
“Everywhere I go, I am rejected. Employers see my diploma and dismiss me. My qualification is not recognised by anyone, not the Ministry of Education, not the Teachers Service Commission, not any employer in Uganda,” he said.
Another former student, Julius Kimanje, described the experience as a “betrayal” and called for institutional accountability.
“In August 2017, I earned a government sponsorship to pursue a diploma in physical education and sports management at Kyambogo University. My family was proud. My village celebrated. But now, it’s seven years of rejection. Seven years of watching others build careers while I remain stuck,” he said.
While some graduates spoke on record, others declined, citing fear of repercussions from the university. Several said they were unwilling to be identified, alleging there had been threats linked to the dispute allegations that could not be independently verified.
A Symptom of a Bigger Problem
The dispute points to deeper structural issues in teacher training. The General Secretary of the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), Filbert Baguma, said the matter reflects broader cracks within teacher training and the subject combinations required for registration.
Baguma explained that to be registered as a teacher in Uganda, one must have two recognised teaching subjects and that problems arise where programmes fail to align with this requirement.
What Happens Next
With the university standing firm, the regulator tight-lipped, and the investigation seemingly stalled, the graduates find themselves caught between institutions each pointing elsewhere while their careers remain frozen.
For a cohort that earned government sponsorship, completed three years of study, and walked away with a certificate, the cruel irony is hard to ignore: they did everything that was asked of them, only to be told their qualification opens no doors.
Until NCHE concludes its investigation, dozens of young Ugandans remain in professional limbo — holding diplomas they say no one will accept.
