KAMPALA — Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has directed the Ministry of Education and Sports to urgently intervene in a prolonged dispute involving Ndejje University and 102 former students who have been denied their academic transcripts and certificates despite their institution clearing its financial obligations.
The directive was issued on Wednesday, 5 August 2026, following the presentation of a formal petition before Parliament by Hon. Eunice Apio (UPC, Oyam County North) on behalf of Ms. Tamali Okao, the former Director of St. Stephen Nursery Teachers’ College in Lira.
## Origins of the Affiliation and Financial Dispute
St. Stephen Nursery Teachers’ College operated under an affiliation with Ndejje University between 2015 and 2022. The arrangement followed a directive issued by the Ministry of Education and Sports requiring nursery teachers’ training colleges to affiliate with accredited universities.
During the operational period of the affiliation, 102 students completed their studies between 2017 and 2022. However, the institution accumulated unpaid tuition balances after the government failed to disburse expected remittances for 18 government-sponsored students hailing from Karamoja.
According to the petition presented to Parliament, Ndejje University made the clearance of all outstanding arrears a condition for releasing the documents. Although St. Stephen Nursery Teachers’ College eventually settled the full outstanding balance in May 2023, the university has reportedly continued to withhold the transcripts and certificates belonging to the affected graduates.
## Impact on Graduates and Parliamentary Intervention
The ongoing retention of these documents has severely disrupted the professional lives of the graduates. Without proof of their academic qualifications, the individuals have been unable to secure employment, pursue further studies, or access professional opportunities.
Hon. Apio noted during her presentation that repeated engagements with Ndejje University, alongside appeals directed to the National Council for Higher Education, have failed to produce a resolution.
The petitioners have asked Parliament to compel Ndejje University to immediately release the withheld documents. Furthermore, the petition requests an inquiry into similar cases affecting students at other institutions, a directive for the Ministry of Education and Sports and relevant education regulators to establish effective mechanisms for resolving such disputes, and financial reimbursement for St. Stephen Nursery Teachers’ College for the funds it expended to cover the tuition arrears of the government-sponsored Karamoja students.
Addressing the assembly, Hon. Apio emphasized the systemic nature of the financial burden placed on the college. “The expected remittances from the government were never made, causing the institution to accumulate unpaid dues with Ndejje University,” she told the House.
## Ministerial Response and Next Steps
In response to the petition, Deputy Speaker Tayebwa referred the matter directly to the Ministry of Education and Sports, tasking the Minister of State for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, with engaging all relevant stakeholders and reporting back to the legislature.
“The minister can take quick action and report back to this House on Wednesday,” Tayebwa directed.
Taking the floor, Minister Ogwang committed to following up the matter and working toward an appropriate resolution. He also invited other individuals facing comparable challenges with academic credentials to formally present their cases to the ministry.
“I have asked the committee that we will handle these issues on Tuesday. If I had received this information earlier, I would have come with a response,” Ogwang stated.
The minister disclosed that the committee is already handling a separate case involving students from Kyambogo University. In that instance, graduates who completed their studies were issued academic documents for courses they did not undertake, pointing to wider concerns surrounding the management of academic records in higher institutions of learning.
