The Law Development Center (LDC) is at he moment in the limelight regarding its mode of operations. Last month, a high failure rate (> 90%) was registered at the institution as 2020/21 results were released. However, the released results only indicated the state (passed or not) but did not indicate exact scores.
To pass LDC, one has to score at least 50% in all subjects that are graded out of 100. LDC employs a cumulative assessment model. It means that almost all exams are graded out of three sets of exams Individual assessments; 20% Oral exams, 30% Final exams, 50% Total – 100%. A student’s marks in each group are tallied and are computed out of 100.
The last written exam that is assessed on the model above was written on the 2nd of December 2020, more than 6 months ago. LDC only released a list of students who had passed on 2nd of June 2021. The list simply indicated who had passed and who had failed. The School later promised to give the exam results by 5th of June 2021 but in vain.
To sort out the issues, LDC admin organized a zoom call on Monday 7th June 2021 where a pledge to release results on the 9th June 2021 was made but still did not yield. LDC went ahead and graduated students on the 11th June 2021 without giving them marks.
“I graduated without knowing what I had scored in any of the subjects I passed. Still, other students did not graduate but didn’t know what they had scored in the subjects they failed,” Rushongoza N Begumya, a first class graduate with diploma in legal practice noted – best student in Civil Litigation.
According to Mr. Rushongoza, when results are released, a student has three options; verification (which means applying to see the script and the marking guide to see how he or she was graded), appealing the result or re-sitting the exam.
The rules provide that a student may apply to verify their results in 7 days, appeal after a verification in 7 days and have a decision in 30 days. This means that, as a minimum, a student can challenge their results in a 44 day window.
When Mr. Sylvester Wambuga, a top administrator at LDC was contacted, he had this to say;
“Do you think it is humanly possible to send each student those full results in each of the five subjects and all the other components. When your firm mates ask for something try to sieve and advise them on what is humanly possible. If you feel you need full results for any of the subjects where you may be dissatisfied you apply and pay for the same.”
