The State Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, has asked the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) to expedite investigations into a matter in which government-sponsored students from Kyambogo University were admitted to an unaccredited course and later awarded diploma certificates for a course they did not apply for.

The affected students, who petitioned Parliament seeking a remedy, were admitted to the university in 2017 to pursue a Diploma in Physical Education and Sports Management but were 'erroneously' awarded a Diploma Certificate in Sports Management at the end of their study.

Appearing before the Committee on Education and Sports on Wednesday, 05 August 2026, Hon. Ogwang proposed prompt investigation, institutional accountability and competence-based remediation.

"The issues raised are serious. They concern the integrity of academic awards, the protection of students, the proper use of public funds, and adherence to minimum admission standards. We are going to work with NCHE to expedite investigations,” Ogwang said.

"Our duty is to protect those students while preserving the credibility of Uganda's higher education system and the standards enacted by Parliament," he added.

However, Ogwang said while the ministry is mindful of the hardships experienced by the affected students, any remedy should be lawful, evidence-based and consistent with the mandatory quality-assurance framework governing higher education, adding that the law provides for prior and not retrospective accreditation.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Kedrace Turyagyenda, asked the committee to allow NCHE to complete the investigations from the quality assurance and standards perspective and give them the final findings for implementation.

Despite the committee's summons, the university Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eli Katunguka was a no-show but rather delegated two junior officers to represent him, whom the committee declined to listen to.

"Refusal to appear before the committee is undermining public trust and forces the committee to take further action. The university has subjected the students to untold stigma, and wasted their time. The university needs to own their mistakes and reconcile the matter," Hon. Judith Nagujja (NRM, Buvuma District Representative) said.

Amudat District Woman Representative, Hon. Rufina Cheutich, said it is criminal for the university to award students certificates for courses they did not apply for.

"In this modern world, it does not sound well to issue wrong certificates to students," she said.

Hon. Emmanuel Ongiertho (Indep., Nebbi Municipality) also expressed his disappointment with Kyambogo University's incompetence in addressing the matter at the earliest time possible.

"This mistake should have been corrected at the time of admission, but Kyambogo allowed students to complete their two-year course without addressing it. This speaks to the attitude of the university leadership and its operations," Hon. Ongiertho said.

The affected students revealed that they had written to the university over six times without any response.

In October 2025, NCHE also wrote to Kyambogo seeking information on the matter. However, the university failed to furnish them with a formal response despite another reminder in June 2026.

"The Vice-Chancellor is clearly elusive. NHCE called him to respond to these matters in vain. He has also failed to appear before the committee. I think this committee should issue compelling instructions to bring him here," Hon. Stephen Kisa (NRM, Luuka South County) said.