41 final year students at the national university of Rwanda have failed language proficiency exam and shall not graduate this year.
This has attracted complaints from students taken against their colleagues affected.
According to minutes from the academic senate meeting held on 7th October 2011at NUR main branch, affected students will not be permitted to graduate. Those mostly affected are final year students.
Thousands of students in their final academic year are preparing for their graduation next year February 2012.
If the decision is implemented, it means that about 50 students will have to repeat for whole year studying language lessons.
Gatoni Egide a final year student in the faculty of civil engineering failed language test and told igihe.com, “I don’t understand why such a decision has been adopted at such a time.”
“We couldn’t be in such a crisis now had they informed us earlier that we were supposed to retake the exam. Personally, the last time I did the language (English) test was in 2nd year and since then I never got to know my status until recently when I had just submitted my dissertation that I saw a notice indicating that I wouldn’t graduate because I hadn’t passed the English test in 2008.”
“Why did they let us go through 4years knowing we hadn’t passed the test? Why did they promote us to the point of submitting our dissertations when they knew we hadn’t passed the English test?”
Gatoni explained that in all the academic year at NUR, “we have passed other course units examined in English.Then why do they say we don’t know English?”
The furious Gatoni said it is very unfair and not right “We were given another test on 10th August 2011 and I got 62% but still they are saying we have to get 70%.”
“My wish is let them give us another test or let them lower the grades because some of our colleagues who joined in 2007 and went through the EPLM year have their certificates yet they passed with only 50%.”
Kereni Irdehpnse the director of school of languages at NUR told igihe.com, “We have enforced a policy that has existed for some time. It is unfortunate they are the first lot to be affected but it’s a policy that applies to all students.”
“Those students knew about the policy. Their representatives met with both the former minister of education (Hon. Mujawamaliya) and the High Education Council chairperson (Pamela) on the issue. It was made clear to them that they would not graduate unless they retake the test and pass with 70% as the policy stands.”
Open and Distance learning Director Prof. Roger SAPSFORD said, “The policy has been in existence for several years. All we have done is to implement it accordingly.”
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