In November/December 2021 end of semester examinations, a total of 41 students at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) were caught in acts of examination malpractice.
After a series of meetings and discussions, the culprits including some finalists were given discontinuation/expulsion letters from the vice chancellors office.
However, in the expulsion letter there was a provision for these students to appeal to the students’ welfare and disciplinary committee of Council in case they weren’t satisfied with the decision.
In response to the chance given to them, only 30 of the 41 students expelled appealed. The hearing of these appeals happened on the 3rd and 4th of March, but only 29 physically turned up and one didn’t.
According to MUST Guild President Mugenyi Jastus, on 24th March 2022 the University through the committee decided to loosen on the punishment for those who appealed depending on the magnitude of the offence.
“Of the 29, 25 students had cases of phones and unauthorized material, these were given one dead year and a stern warning, the two for exam card forgery were given a stern warning while the other two are meant to re-sit the paper they were caught in. Lastly, one who appealed and didn’t appear the punishment for discontinuation was upheld,’’ Mugenyi told our sources
Yesterday, Friday the 25th/March the 87th University Council sat where the students represented by the Guild President and the Guild speaker sat to decide on their fate.
Mugenyi thanked the members of the University Council for giving students the second chance to continue with their education.