Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) Students’ Guild has spearheaded a new campaign to eliminate cases of examination malpractice at the institution.
This comes after the University Council resolved to loosen the punishment previously served to the culprits of examination malpractice last year.
The institution discontinued 41 students on grounds of cheating during examination and possession of gadgets like phones within the confines of the examination rooms.
On March 24, 2022, 29 of the 41 students who appealed were allowed return to the institution to continue with their studies.
Following the Council’s decision, MUST Guild president Mugenyi Justus revealed that his government is set to embark on a sensitization campaign against examination malpractice.
“As an objective leader, I personally condemn examination malpractice in the strongest terms possible and would never stand in for victims at any cost. However, for these students it was a wrong timing since we had studied the whole semester online during a lockdown. I therefore urge all students to never engage in any exam malpractice of any kind as the stringent measures devised this time won’t favor anyone in case he/she is caught,” he communicated.
According to Mugenyi, the severity of the consequences of being discontinued, isn’t something he would wish for a fellow student to experience.
“I and my guild officials, we are going to sensitize students against this bad practice so that we don’t register such cases again. We shall tell them to desist from examination malpractice and encourage them to follow the university examinations rules and regulation. When one is caught and he/she is discontinued from studies, it doesn’t affect the student/culprit only but also the parent/guardian who has been taking care of that person.’’
He concluded by thanking the management for taking the humanitarian path and loosening the punishments.
“It was however a hard decision made basing on more of humanitarian grounds than the policies and laws. I personally thank the management for loosening on the punishment.’’