PAINFUL: Rogue hand cons students seeking grade change at Maseno University

Maseno University held its 17th graduation on December 15, 2017.

Hashtag has established that the institution had released a provisional list of students who were qualified for its various degree awards. Interestingly, the names of more than a quarter of those who completed their coursework were conspicuously missing from the list. According to students we spoke to, efforts to know their score in the mandatory subjects always bore no fruits for the entire period they had been on campus. The biggest culprit with missing marks is the compulsory IT course.

Jackton, not his real name, says most of his classmates only knew their marks for IT units they did since first year during their final semester in school. For him, his fate is still unknown, even though the dean at the school had pledged to follow up and ensure his marks were released.

“My name was missing on the provisional graduation list. The dean showed us a list with the names of numerous students who had the same problem as mine. Our marks for computer subjects were missing and he promised follow up,” said Jackton.

Inquiries by Hashtag has established that a man purporting to be a staff member at the registrar’s office has taken advantage of the situation to defraud students who would desperately do anything to graduate. We obtained his telephone number and he confidently received our call wanting to know what concerns we had about graduation.

Sh1,000 - Sh10,000 for grades

Elvis Usagi Michael, according to his SIM Card Registration details, is the name of the malefactor. We pretended to be students at the institution with problems with our grades and requested to meet him. He declined, claiming to be held up.

“Saa hizi kazi ni mingi kijana. Sema kile unataka. Ni mimi unataka kukutana naye ama ni jina lako unataka niweke kwa graduation list!” (There is a lot of work now young man. Be clear on what you want. Do you want to meet me or it is your name that you want to be on the graduation list), he barked.

After deliberation, we agreed to his terms. According to him, our missing marks problem can disappear for as little as Sh1,000 and Sh3,000 for those who had failed in distinct subjects and wished to have their grades adjusted.

“Very simple, si ‘ungelipa’ (to pay) gown if you were to graduate? Why not sacrifice that cash because a gown is just meant for ceremony,” said Usagi.

“If you lose this chance, you heard Matiangi’s sentiments on having a database to identify each and every student. So in case you will not be assisted at this particular point, you will have to go back to class. There is no Plan B,” he said.

After prodding, Usagi explained that altering a degree award from lower to upper second class honours only costs Sh10,000. We ended our conversation after pledging to contact him later. We, however, were buying time as we followed up on a case by one of his clients who had sealed a deal with the rogue operative. Our contact, who chose to remain anonymous, had been promised to wait for the final graduation list and that his name would be in the category of those graduating with second class upper grades.

Our contact and the investigations desk awaited the D-Day and alas, the student’s name did not appear anywhere on the graduation list.

“There is this person that claims to be an employee at the registrar’s office that I paid Sh10,000 yet he has not rectified my grades. Imagine I am not on the list after hustling the money from my father. I feel like dying. Betrayal!” the student told Hashatg.

“This has given me stress so much that I can’t go back home because my father gave me the cash. I am planning to travel to Nairobi then switch off my phone immediately for the rest of my life,” the student said.

When we contacted Usagi and introduced ourselves with different names, he told the student that his boss had busted him manipulating the grades and that he was awaiting the consequences. The con then hastily hanged up, claiming to be seated close to his boss who could overhear their conversation. He would call back he promised. Several days later, our contact tried to demand for a refund of the sum transacted through Mpesa but was met with threats.

Random grades for compulsory IT courses

Attempts to reach any of the lecturers at the Information Communication Technology department proved futile. However, Hashtag raised the issue with the university’s public relations director Owen Mc Onyango who requested for specific details of the students to be able to follow up on the matter.

“Exams are people’s lives and we cannot use hypothetical examples. I need specific cases of students with the complaint and their registration numbers to go to the dean and find out,” he said.

One of the students agreed to speak to on condition that we do not name her as she could stand further disappointment. She said her results never looked realistic from the day she had scored a straight A in an exam she skipped.

“I have only one unit missing results. Here, they award grade by random selection. Take this subject in IT, for instance, where I was awarded grade A even though I did not sit the exams. I was very sick and had to beg my friend to sign the attendance sheets the invigilators circulate during exams. My friend, on the other hand, scored grade D,” said the student.

She hopes that her worries shall be resolved with any grade even as she goes through the paces of clearing from the institution.

Strained facilities and no teaching

While the university prides itself in offering all its undergraduate courses with IT studies, the students argue that the IT components are never well-taught due to strained resources at the facility that make it difficult for them to attend classes and learn effectively.

“It is tricky learning here; the junior students can tell you we are not taught. It is difficult to attend an IT class that is congested and you cannot see or touch anything let alone hear the lecturer’s voice. The only thing we do is get notes a day to the exams, cram a few things and wait for any grade,” says a student leader we spoke to.

He says students who pursue IT and computing as their majors are the lucky few who get taught but the rest move with the wind as many struggle to grasp basic IT tenets on their own.

Balancing the upper or lower equation

Many approaching completion of their undergraduate studies have fears of whether employers will consider them in the event they graduate with lower division degrees. Hashtag sought the graduate’s list available on the institution’s website and studied the trend across its schools.

In some courses, only a handful managed to get the upper division and hardly did we notice a first-class on the provisional list. We find a subject who is seeking to have their score changed and they give us two options available to them.

“With lower division I will be deemed to have failed and landing a job will be an uphill task. You know it is not even easy for me to further my studies with this. I just have to plead with the head of my department and see if he can do something. If he fails to help, I will go get the money pay and wait for the upper degree like some guys did,” admits a student.

Indeed, a list set as final had been updated on the university’s website on Monday 27 November 2017 shortly after Hashtag contacted the alleged score broker.

He said they were busy putting final touches on the list and he could do any desired adjustment but upgrading scores would need Sh13,000 since it was “injury time”.

Our reporters said they didn’t have enough money and the response was: “Let me give you a fair deal as a brother. Send Sh5,000 and I will help you now so that you clear the balance tomorrow. It is getting very late you could be locked out.” We did not pursue that option.