KAMPALA — Oyam North MP Dr. Eunice Apio Otuko raised concern over the loss of a funded international Master’s scholarship by a Ugandan graduate following an accreditation dispute involving Makerere University and the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).
Presenting the matter before Parliament, Otuko revealed that the graduate had lost the opportunity after the undergraduate qualification in Food Science and Technology was reportedly missing from NCHE’s live accreditation database.
She explained that the young Ugandan had secured a funded Master’s scholarship at the University of Wroxton in Poland but was unable to proceed because the degree had not appeared as accredited on the regulator’s online records since April 2015.
Describing the rejection letter as painful, Otuko said the communication raised serious questions about the recognition of the qualification internationally, leaving the graduate to reconsider their academic future.
She cautioned that the incident was not an isolated concern, arguing that hundreds of other students and graduates could face similar difficulties when seeking opportunities beyond Uganda.
The legislator further disclosed that NCHE had attempted to intervene by issuing a manual letter explaining the status of the degree, but questioned whether such documentation could adequately address concerns raised by international institutions that relied on digital verification systems.
Otuko called for government intervention, insisting that administrative failures should not deprive qualified Ugandans of international scholarships and other opportunities.
In its response, the government clarified that Makerere University’s Food Science and Technology programme had been accredited in 2010 and had continued operating since then.
The incident highlighted the far-reaching consequences of inaccurate academic records and the importance of ensuring that Ugandan qualifications could be independently verified internationally.
