Students at the National University of Rwanda this month are scrambling at their respective faculty departments to beat the 20th October deadline for submission of their dissertations.
Igihe.com went to the university and obtained comments from several students.They are accusing the University authorities for not availing them with enough time to complete their dissertations.
Students claim that it all begun by the change of the academic calendar that intends to begin on 31st October.
“We are here today in large numbers to submit our dissertations so that we are not fined or disqualified from the presumed graduation scheduled December this year.
“Most of us haven’t had time to go home yet the rest of the students are in holidays for their annual vacation. We are tired but anyway glad that we are almost done with this phase of our academics.” one student who did not want to publish his name said.
Students are dissatisfied by the university’s administration arguing that much needs to be done in order to prevent such irritatiing situations.
They blamed the University for not providing necessary facilities required in their writing of dissertations as the rest of the previous years. “We were not given the Rwf 100, 000 during the development of our project.” another anonymous student complained.
This cost us too much given the high prices of commodities. “I conducted my study in Musanze District, Northern Province. I had to spend on transport and food too much money which wasn’t easy for me. I was left financially drained to the extent that I don’t have any money to print my final draft,” Agronomist student only identified as Musafiri narrated.
At the faculty of Arts, Media and Social Science (FAMSS) students told igihe.com that the delay was brought due to some directors who are hard to find especially during holidays. “My director is in Kigali and I have to commute by bus to meet him.” another sociology finalist student identified as Musoni told igihe.com at the University.
“Even though I have relatives in Kigali, I can’t stay there because I use the library so much and want access to free internet here unlike Kigali where i have to pay for it. It is expensive for me to travel back and forth at Frw2600,”Musoni added.
In a telephone interview with Prof. Rama B. Rao Faculty dean of Economics and Management, he refuted students claims, “I have received such arguments from my students but they were given enough time to prepare for their dissertations. They started preparing their dissertations in the first semester.”
Asked on the deadline for submission Prof. Rama told igihe.com, “the deadline students are talking about is false because we haven’t yet fixed it however, it’s on the agenda for today’s meeting.”
The dean however reminded students to always take dissertations seriously as any other course noting that academic rules will apply to any student who will not give the required gravity to dissertations.
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