Following the comments by the President H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and the Minister of Education, Janet Kataha on the 8th April 2020, the night of another series of presidential addresses on the measures against COVID19, Uganda Christian University (UCU) has released a statement saying that it will not be resurrecting the debate to have the online/take home examinations.
The president directed that the take home examinations be stopped and that the university should be patient and wait for the opening of normal school business.
“A lot has happened since then but none to change our compliance with the directive as a University”, reads the UCU statement by the university Vice Chancellor (VC), Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi dated 9th April 2020, while referring to the directive Janet Kataha delivered last week (Saturday 2nd April 2020) on the cancellation of the take home examinations, which was reaffirmed by the president.
“The position was reaffirmed at an address by His Excellency the President” it continues.
It should be noted that the university protested that it was not given an opportunity to defend itself in support of the examinations before the Minister of Education ordered the cancellation. The university even after the cancellation continued to try and persuade the ministry to have the examinations conducted leaving the students wondering whether or not the examinations will continue, until the president shut the efforts down.
The university however appreciated the students that started the online petition to resume the examinations after it garnered more than 2,000 signatures.
“Nevertheless, it would be remiss of me not to recognize the thousands of students that initiated and volitionally signed a Petition to the Speaker of Parliament, attempting to lawfully cause permission for the Take Home Examinations”. The VC went on to state that people will try to bring the spirits of these students, “you will be tempted to be crestfallen”.
He goes on to commend the students for acting within their constitutional rights and “shunning lawless means”. These comments, however, will surely bring down the spirits of the students that equally acted lawfully and within their constitutional rights to challenge the examinations, as expressing dissent too is permissible under Ugandan laws even when many are persecuted for it. The university seems to attack their efforts almost implying that their actions will not be without consequences. It is possible that these students are worried if their identities are revealed.
The university does not offer any assurance to the efforts of these students who challenged the examinations that nothing will be done to them, but takes a sided appreciation for another lot only allegedly that acted within their constitutional rights.
He however reveals that the students “will be able to attend to the examinations conclusively” and indicates how the trials of the university are a lesson learned.
“Such times are not without a lesson, and there will be many” cryptically indicating that these trying times will not be the end for the university.
