The Public Universities Joint Admissions Board (PUJAB) is on the spot after declining to admit a student who excelled in both O-level (Uganda Certificate of Education – UCE) exams at his A-levels (Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education) exams. Marvin Latigo Oketayot’s case has left many questioning the transparency and integrity of the admission process after it was reported that he was not offered government sponsorship because PUJAB officials failed to download his results.
Latigo Oketayot was a student at St Mary’s College Lugazi. He excelled in last year’s UACE in BCM/ICT with the maximum 20 points, scoring As in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics. In his UCE, he scored aggregate 10 in 10 and the required weight figures he required for admission to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery Degree.
But he was left in tears after missing out on government sponsorship, with reports suggesting that PUJAB officials had failed to download his results.
If Marvin, whose first choice was Gulu University, had got the government sponsorship he badly needed, he would have been the fifth St Mary’s College Lugazi student to bag the coveted Medicine and Surgery scholarship.
Reports indicate that Latigo had managed to complete his secondary education because of bursaries, thanks to his excellent performance. There are fears that if his issue is not resolved, then the education journey of this brilliant chap from Northern Uganda could come to an end.
Makerere University has advised the student to appeal the PUJAB decision in the office of the Makerere University Academic Registrar. Makerere University’s Office of the Academic Registrar housed in the Senate Building is the centre point for PUJAB activities.
“Sorry for the inconveniences this could have caused. This could be an error of omission. Would the candidate submit an appeal to the Academic Registrar’s Office, Makerere University? Let us get this resolved,” the university wrote on its official Twitter account.
But some Ugandans advised PUJAB to simply save Latigo the trouble of an appeal since the mistake was reportedly committed by its officials.
“There is no need for appeal. Just proceed to admit this boy otherwise the entirety of PUJAB admission will be thrown into a complete doubt. The explanation given for failure to admit him is equally laughable,” wrote a one Matua Job Richard (@job_matua).
“There exists no exigency for resorting to an appeal process. Prudently advance with the admission of this young lad, lest the integrity of the PUJAB admission procedures be cast into an abyss of pervasive skepticism,” added JohnPaul Guminkiriza (@JohnPaulGu)
You can see the list showing names of students admitted on government sponsorship (national merit) at Makerere University and another list showing names of 600 students admitted to pursue expired courses on government sponsorship at Makerere University Here and There.
The list of A-level schools whose students scored maximum 20 in 20 points in 2022 UACE exams is Here.
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