Exposed!! Inside Plan On How Makerere University Students With Retakes Fake Graduation Booklets To Hoodwink Parents , Make Parties Without Actually Graduating

Marks for sale in exchange for sexual favors leading to fake graduations, concludes the equation at Makerere University, aptly nicknamed “The Hill,” where thousands of students are sent annually by parents, many failing to successfully navigate its challenges and earn a legitimate degree.

“The Hill,” adorned with lush trees, has become akin to the academically perilous jungles of Luweero, where struggling students concoct elaborate schemes to deceive their unsuspecting parents and attend fake graduation ceremonies. Media reports have continuously exposed fraudulent graduations, with the latest scandal involving the fabrication of graduation booklets.

Sarah*, a recent graduate, confessed during an undercover investigation with the Daily Monitor that parental pressure drove her to engage in academic misconduct.

“They had already planned the graduation party because I had falsely claimed I was graduating,” she revealed in an interview with the Daily Monitor.

Sarah* was trying to explain how it is possible to graduate without actually graduating if the push came to a shove that could send one tumbling down the steep hill into the trenches of the neighboring Katanga slum. The fraud, as we discovered, involves doctoring the list to include the name of a student who’s on a mission to convince their parents that they have successfully gone through the walls of the country’s oldest public university.

All one has to do is pay a graphics designer at Nasser Road— Kampala’s notorious street for issuing fake documents— and a booklet with doctored names would be ready for presentation to parents.

But authorities at the university deny the allegations, arguing they have zero tolerance to any academic fraud. Instead, the university advises parents to ensure verification of the authenticity of any academic award with the university in order to escape such tricks from their children.However University authorities deny the allegations, emphasizing their zero-tolerance policy towards academic fraud. They urge parents to verify the authenticity of academic awards to avoid falling victim to such schemes.

Sarah*, a former student at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), struggled with retakes in various courses but couldn’t admit it to her parents. Desperate for a solution, she turned to a friend who connected her with a graphic designer offering counterfeit graduation booklets. After paying a fee and providing her details, Sarah* received the doctored booklet, bringing joy to her parents but leaving her anxious about future demands for transcripts.

Despite her concerns, Sarah* remains grateful that her deception went unnoticed. However, she acknowledges the potential consequences if her actions are discovered.Attempts to contact the graphic designer proved futile, highlighting the clandestine nature of their operations. Another designer, approached by a reporter posing as a student in need, offered similar services at a varying cost.

Mr Robert Maseruka, the current Makerere University Guild President and the guild academic minister Ms Patience Nambaziira, said they have heard about the vice though in a rumor.

“I have not seen it but I hear. So, it is hard to solve rumors. Those who reprint do it once and for all, and leave,” Mr Maseruka said.

Mr Maseruka says there is need for parents to invest a lot of time in establishing whether their children are on the official university list“Parents should also be lectured on how they can confirm the authentic lists, “he added.

University officials acknowledge the prevalence of such scams, urging parents to scrutinize official lists carefully. Kyambogo University’s vice-chancellor described the phenomenon as “embarrassing,” recounting instances of parents discovering their children’s names missing from the genuine graduation list.

To address this issue, university officials emphasize the importance of parental involvement and vigilance in monitoring their children’s academic progress.