As one joins the university particularly in Uganda, with all the excitement of escaping the high school craze, they can only wish for the best in all they are pursuing. However, this wish can be shuttered by a number of things; evidently is the accumulation of retakes. This happens without one’s notice and before long; they already have numerous papers to re-do. In the different universities, one cannot escape the scorn from their class mates.
The news spread like a bush fire, and to the guys, and chics they have to do enough to prove otherwise. What I am talking about is what most students call a ‘missed call’, or a ‘kisanja’. A retake retards one academically and the unfortunate bit is the envy of a graduation upon seeing your classmates graduate. The retake system at the different universities is more or less the same. This is handled by the National council of Higher Education which takes charge of all issues concerning cumulative retakes. The pass mark usually varies according to the university, but in many universities, it is about 50% for undergraduate students and 60% for post graduate students. The universities therefore enforce the pass marks with regard to either the semester or term system. Under the semester system at Makerere, Kyambogo, Uganda Christian University, and Ndejje University, a student is discontinued when they fail to get the cumulative grade point of 2.0 average or 50% three semesters in a row or if they fail the paper. A student who fails a paper under the term system at Mbarara university of Technology and Islamic university in Uganda is given a supplementary exam before the beginning of the academic year and when they fail, they are made to repeat the year.
At Nairobi University, the pass mark is about 40%, but one is not allowed to proceed to the next academic year if they fail the paper. Going beyond the borders, the system is slightly different. AtOxford University in the United Kingdom, the terms are based on seasons: spring, summer and autumn. The pass mark being about 60%. (Http: //: Retake system at universities.com). However, should you fail to complete your course, you are awarded an associate degree or what is commonly known as a gentleman’s degree. At the University of Saint Thomas in the state of Minnesota, a friend of mine Albert Okoba Kertho a graduate in B.S. Biology with Chemistry minor explains that redoing a paper is when one gets an F and less than a C but D is considered passing. He says one would need at least a C in biology 201 in order to do biology 202. A student at any of these universities is therefore required to get the pass mark in order to survive the monster that haunts the unfortunate. Many students would have testimonies of being mis-marked but when the retake knocks at your door, there is no turning back. At Makerere, school of education seems the most hectic as the course units keep accumulating each semester. No student will fail to acknowledge the relief after succeeding in a paper.
Most students complain about strictness from the lecturers, an example is Cathy Ajonyen (not real name) at Makerere who complains that she was mismatched. “How could she give me a 47%, it’s so annoying” she laments after failing to get a pass mark in changing patterns in Poetry. At Kyambogo, Christine Awori (not real name) says when she saw her name on the notice board bearing 48% in Land use and Development, she could not believe it, “it was like getting up from one of those scary dreams”, she grieves.
The lectures on the other hand think otherwise. Danson Kahyana an Assistant lecturer in the school of Languages and Communication at Makerere says the students’ carelessness; their continuous low attendance of lectures and misinterpretation of the questions during exams are major problems that lead to low marks. He acknowledges that in critical cases involving extra class, anyone can get a retake because of the lecturer’s failure to record their marks; thus leading to missing marks.
Dr. Patrick Ogwok a lecturer in the Dept. of food technology, faculty of science at Kyambogo says the main reasons that lead to retakes are: the students lack of initiative to read, their being given government slots for courses which are not in their capacity to do and their wrong choices of courses basing on highly paid jobs. “Most students are used to the pampering at high school which is not at the university; this is the major factor that affects their self drive in all their activities”. He adds.The retake is a common scenario at the university but one can avoid it. There are some cost free recautionary measures that one could consider to avoid the retake embarrassment.
Most students tend to lag behind in all they do, but to be able to keep track with your academics, you will need to report to class during the first weeks of opening of the academic year. This does not only help you to sort out yourself for the start but it helps you not to miss out on any important information.
Many students may have thought that the discussions ended in high school but NO, the discussions are as vital and help you to catch up with whatever you missed during classes. You should endeavor to form a study group. Communication is a very important tool in our lives, make sure you inform the lecturers in case you are not feeling well or in case of tuition; this could help than keeping silent. Remember to do your course work on time; usually, a two weeks deadline is given, and comply with the lecturers requirements. You could also look through the course outline to help you read a head, and during exams, check for the timetables, venues, time allocated for each paper and the number of questions you are to attempt, this can save you from getting low marks. All in all, balance your social and academic life and remember to desist from missing classes.
