In what appears to be the worst performance at the School of Law, no student attained a first class degree this time round. Only 9 out of the 247 graduating students of law will graduate with a Second Class Upper degree while 188 will graduate with a second class lower degree.
This is the first cohort of students to graduate from law school since the introduction of the pre-entry examinations for prospective students. The pre-entry examinations introduced in 2012, sought to sieve candidates seeking to join law school in a move which was initially meant to improve performances and quality of graduates.
It includes an aptitude test, English comprehension and composition, current affairs covering domestic, regional and international issues and the economy. Initially, best students with excellent marks at the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education were selected for the course. However, performances kept declining.
"This is our first cohort since pre-entry examinations were introduced at School of Law. We agreed as a school that after our first cohort graduates, we would review the performance of the students and the coloration between pre-entry exams and students' performance," Dr Ronald Naluwairo, the acting deputy principal of School of Law told URN.
He added; "I will not be able to make any statement regarding performance. However I am sure the school academic committee will sit to review the performance."
When contacted by URN for a comment earlier today, Ladislaus Rwakafuzi, a senior human rights advocate with over 20 years' experience said it is time now to question the issue of pre-entry examinations at law school.
"If you asked me today definitely I would tell you that I do not support the issue of pre-entry examinations for law degree at Makerere University," Rwakafuzi said.
He added that it is unfair to subject students to examinations after their vacation yet they had been progressively doing well in their previous schools adding that sometimes good students perform poorly in pre-entry exams because of what they have gone through during their vacation.
However, Lukyamuzi Hamis Ddungu, the Law Development Center's (LDC) publicist, says that to join LDC, one must have a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from a recognized university. He adds that the institution doesn't grade degrees.
"To join LDC one must have a degree in law from a recognized institution whose programme has been accredited by the law council. We do not grade degrees but we subject all candidates to pre-entry examinations conducted by the law council," Lukyamuzi said.
-URN