Certification of academic documents should be simplified

I recently applied for a job in Lira city. The application process, like all local government procedures, is entirely manual, with applicants required to submit physical documents.

This often requires applicants to submit certified copies of academic documents, such as degree/diploma certificate, transcripts, and other important documents.

The way it is right now, the process of applying for public service jobs is very expensive, yet most of the applicants are unemployed. Two things make applying a job particularly expensive, namely; the manual, old fashioned way of receiving applications, and also the old-fashioned way of certifying academic documents.

Given that applicants must still bring original and certified copies of their academic documents to the interview, it is pointless to request so much at the outset.

To make matters worse, the District Service Commissions (DSC) and the Public Service require applicants to provide three copies (three files) of each document. This means that you should have sufficient number of certified copies of academic documents, which also require money.

In most public universities, each certified copy costs between UGX 3,000 to 10,000, and in addition to the transport fare needed to travel to and from the university attended. So, if you live in Lira City and graduated from Kabale University, the cost of certifying your documents would be astronomical.

Most times, young people don’t apply for jobs because of the costs involved. It is absolutely unfair to ask for so much from a person who hasn’t even been even shorted. To illustrate this further, imagine a job where 300 people apply, and the DSC shortlists only 30 people for interviews.

In the first stage, it would be fair to ask applicants to submit just one file of their particulars, and then if shortlisted (in second stage), you submit another two files, which must be similar to the other one submitted earlier. Those who progress through the job search process should be required to provide more than those who do not.

This approach ensures that even someone had only one copy of certified documents at the time of the job advert can actually apply confidently, because they know that if they he or she is shortlisted for interviews, they would have obtained more certified copies to be submitted at the second stage of the job sourcing.

Data from UCC indicates that about 20 people have access to the internet, including smartphones. It is therefore fair that at least the initial stages of job applications can be put online, requiring applicants to submit soft copies of academic documents.

This would drastically cut the costs for applicants, while also increasing the number of applicants.

The second issue that makes applying for jobs expensive is the current system of certifying academic documents in different universities and institutions.

The way it is now, universities or institutions require one to physically go to the office of the academic registrar, with both the original and photocopies their academic documents (transcript and graduation certificate), and most importantly, the payment slip.

The registrar then looks at the originals, and thereafter stamps the photocopies.

This procedure, simple as it is, is very expensive for job applicants, who as you know even have no means of livelihood. It should therefore be in interest of universities, to simplify the process of certifying academic documents.

I suggest the following. To begin with, since we Ugandans have no registered physical addresses, the government can provide private postal address to all university graduates who have finished their study programmes.

It should be made mandatory for one to pay for private postal address, which should be located at the district/city of their choice.

Secondly, the process of paying for certification of academic documents should be made online. This is already happening at all public universities; however, private universities and institutions have to be brought on board.

And then lastly, using the records already available at the university, the officers in charge of certificate should be able to print digital copy of the certificate and transcript, and certify it, and thereafter post it to the postal address provided by the graduate.

This approach would deepen digitisation, modernise the postal system, and provide cost savings and convenience to job seekers.

Emmanuel Angoda is the founder of Triskelion Education and Skills Initiative (TESI), and teacher at Lira Town College 

angodaemmanuel@gmail.com