KIST examination debacle is exposing the institution

Editor, Allow me space in your newspaper to comment on the state of the examinations in Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). Students recently did their final examinations and many, later, were given zeros in some of their final examination papers. It is believed that these students were awarded zeros because they did not attend more than 70 percent of their lectures as stipulated by the regulation governing examinations in KIST. Indeed the regulation regarding final examination in KIST states that a student who does not attend more than 70 percent of the lectures will not be allowed to sit for final examination in that particular course(s). However, what happened in this case is that students were allowed to write their examinations and later were awarded zeros in the pretext that they did not attend more than 70 percent of the lectures. Does this mean that students got zeros in their final examination(s) or were their results withheld? If students got zeros so be it. But if students never got zeros and were awarded zero’s this is tantamount to fraud and will be definitely challenged to the highest level. If management wanted to apply the rule, students would not have been allowed to sit their final examination. Having allowed them to sit for their final examinations, then giving them zeros is wrong. What is happening in KIST leaves a lot to be desired and poses a legal risk to the institution which can be avoided. As a concerned person, I am appealing to management of KUST to save the reputation of the institution and to release their ‘real’ marks which they genuinely toiled for. Rules should be applied systematically not in a manner that exposes the institution to legal action. Mwiza Mutanganika mutanganika@yahoo.com

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KIST examination debacle is exposing the institution