With only a few days to the Makerere University 70th graduation, the institute has been hit by a shortage in graduation gowns. The graduation ceremony will start on Tuesday 14-17, 2020. Only 7,000 graduation gowns out of the more than 13,000 required for the 13,509 graduands were received by the University from the supplier as of last week.
This created a panic mode among students. According to a statement released by the University “The official supplier of gowns for students graduating next week informed Management at the last minute that he was experiencing challenges supplying all graduation gowns on time. His actions are a breach of contract.” Indeed, such actions will be why many may look elsewhere for their graduation gown for future events.
“Management has put in place emergency measures to ensure that gowns for all graduands are ready by the day they attend the ceremony.”
The University said all students will receive their gowns regardless of the situation at hand.
The University added that “Graduands and their parents, guardians and the general public are requested to disregard malicious propaganda being spread on social media and other media platforms claiming that graduands will attend the graduation ceremony without the necessary academic dress.
In a statement, Makerere said the “Official Supplier of gowns for students graduating next week informed Management at the last minute that he was experiencing challenges supplying all graduation gowns on time. His actions are a breach of contract.”
The university did not indicate if any serious actions would be taken against the supplier but regretted the “inconvenience and anxiety created by the Contractor’s failure to honour the contract and assures all graduands that everything necessary is being done to ensure a smooth graduation ceremony.”