Following various complaints from Makerere University students regarding the price of graduation gowns, the officials selling graduation gowns at Senate building have come out to explain why the cost of graduation gowns has been hiked.
It should be recalled that Makerere University entered into an agreement with a tailoring company named Team Uniform Limited which agreed to supply the gowns at UGX75,000 from the 67th graduation ceremony.
However, next year’s graduates were shocked to learn that they will have to fork out UGX98,000 following an official communication from the University Registrar. According to one official selling the gowns at Makerere Senate building, a lot has changed since January including the cost of materials. “The shilling has weakened overtime and the cost of making the gowns is now alittle bit higher,” the official is quoted to have said.
The graduands have on several occasions received warnings from the academic registrar regarding the purchase of graduation gowns from other stores besides the Senate building, “Nobody is allowed to use university colours and logos without permission from the university” Masikye noted in a statement released on 8th December.
Despite having an official office selling gowns at the Senate building basement, the same customized gowns have been spotted being sold at different outlets including the Wandegeya Makerere small gate where they are sold a cheaper price of between 60k – 80k.
A number of students set to graduate this January have decided to forego buying the expensive gowns as some of them have vowed to borrow from last year’s graduates, after all it is the same design.
