TCU list ignites panic, anxiety

DAILY NEWS Reporters

• Students, parents shift blames to commission itself

PANIC, uncertainties and anxiety have reigned among students at the risk of losing admission at higher learning institutions as the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) maintains that unqualified learners have to go.

Students, parents, guardians and the higher learning institutions yesterday blamed the commission for the delayed identification of the shortfall that puts at risk the plight of about 8,000 students.

TCU issued a list of students pursuing various programmes in several higher learning institutions on Wednesday, demanding them to prove their academic credentials or risk disqualification.

While some students questioned the regulatory accreditation function of TCU, parents and guardians said the verification should have been done earlier to avoid inconveniencing especially students who are in their final year of studies.

One of the students at Tumaini University Dar es Salaam College (TUDARCO) who preferred anonymity said that the list of students unveiled by TCU has embarrassed them especially those with undisputed or undoubted qualifications.

“All students admitted to various higher education institutions have applied through TCU, how come the commission is now claiming to have unqualified students while all the applications went through them,” queried the student.

She said although there may be some students without qualifications, it was TCU that should have verified them before unveiling the names. Another student at St John’s University of Tanzania wondered why they have been in universities for three years without being told about their disqualification.

“We feel embarrassed because TCU is responsible for students’ admission and these shortfalls were supposed to be identified earlier,” the students said.

The student said the announcement has affected their studies as they are preparing themselves for the final examinations. One of the parents in Dar es Salaam, Patrick Mtei, described the TCU move as shocking, arguing that parents have been paying a lot of money in fees for their children.

“My son is studying at TUDARCO where the fee is 2.5m/- and today is being listed as among the unqualified students although he has all the qualifications,” Mr Mtei complained.

He said that parents were not against the verification but it was supposed to be done earlier to allow students to pursue their studies comfortably.

Responding, TCU Information Officer, Mr Edward Mkaku, said they had no intention of disqualifying any student in the list, rather to verify students admitted through TCU and NACTE.

He said all students who appeared in the list ought to present their academic credentials to their Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, offices as instructed by TCU and failing to do so they will not be recognized.