It is time to overhaul the processing of transcript in the nation’s tertiary institutions as many graduates have been frustrated over the delays associated with it. The delays have resulted in dashed dreams and missed opportunities, DAMOLA KOLA-DARE reports.
Tertiary institutions are still struggling to find the appropriate measures for smooth transcript processing. Many graduates seeking opportunities at home and abroad are appalled by the tardy processes and delays which characterise the system. They have lost once-in-a lifetime offers, scholarships and opportunities. The challenge of transcript processing and issuing requires deliberate efforts.
A transcript is a certified record (inventory) of a student throughout a course of study having full enrollment history including all courses (or subjects) attempted, grades earned and degrees and awards conferred.
Patricia (surname withheld), a graduate of the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, Enugu State, recalled how she lost a scholarship opportunity in Canada due to slow transcript processing by her alma mater.
While the process should not take more than two weeks, some institutions cite bureaucracies and bottlenecks which prevent swift processing, leaving graduates groaning and lamenting amid lost opportunities.
Investigations revealed that transcript processing and delivery rates vary in different institutions. At the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the application fee is N10,000, while local and international fees are between N20,000 and N35,000 respectively. University of Benin (UNIBEN) graduates pay N20,000 and N50,000 for local and international processing, respectively.
Despite the creation of the Electronic Transcripts and Documents Exchange in Nigeria (ETX-NG) in 2013 by ETX Solutions Nigeria Limited in partnership with universities for smooth transfer of transcripts to institutions and organisations that require them, the challenge persists.
Despite all their efforts spanning over 36 and 12 months, respectively, two graduates of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, have not received their transcripts. Feyisara and Comfort (not real names), who graduated in 1997, have done everything to get their transcripts, all to no avail. It has been one excuse or the other by the institution since they applied for the transcripts. Feyisara, who resides in Ekiti State, applied for hers in March 2021, while the United States (US)-based Comfort did so in March 2023. They paid the mandatory N50,000 processing fee along with their applications.
While Feyisara has heard nothing from OOU more than three years after applying for her transcript, Comfort who applied for hers at UNILAG and OOU in March last year, got the document from UNILAG alone. The only response they have been getting from OOU is to exercise patience. They said their patience have run out as they require the transcript for further self-development.
In an interview with The Nation, Feyisara said: “I graduated from OOU then Ogun State University in 1997 with a 2nd Class Lower in Guidance and Counselling. I did my Master’s degree in the same university and graduated in the year 2000. I applied for a transcript for the first degree since March 2021 and up till now no transcript has been given.
“I visited the Registrar’s office and was directed to exams and records and was referred to my faculty. I discussed with the dean who incidentally was my lecturer. He appealed to me that I should exercise patience that it would be sorted out soon. Since then I have been using unofficial means (talking to people I know) and they kept telling me the university can’t find some of my results and it is not only me. About two months ago, someone called me to ask me if I can lay my hands on my 300 and 400-Level courses or ask my friends that we finished together; I told the person I can’t. The person said he would get back which he never did. Some two weeks after, I called the number, he didn’t pick up.”
On her part, Comfort is urging the school authorities to act on the matter swiftly because she did not only defer her PhD programme, but also lost valuable job opportunities on several occasions.
“I live in U.S (Chicago). I applied for my transcript at OOU formerly Ogun State University and the University of Lagos almost at the same time. These transcripts are needed to further my education in the U.S and get a better job. The one of University of Lagos came almost two months after, while OOU is yet to come. Note I applied for the two on 4th March, 2023. Twice I had to defer my PhD programme and four times I lost valuable job opportunities. I was even told by the U.S college that if they (OOU) cannot send hard copies the school should mail the results to them.
“I contacted a professor at the university who happens to be my lecturer then, but he too got frustrated and does not pick up my calls anymore. I got tired of it all and made a call to the registrar’s office where the man that picked up after listening to my complaint told me it’s a major problem in the university that he will advise me to go to court. I sent another set of people who are retired registrars to no avail. I was told the marks can’t be found. This is a surprise. I was asked to produce my marks if I have them.”
When contacted, a top official of OOU who pleaded anonymity said: “Every university has its own peculiarities and bureaucracies when it comes to transcript processing. We receive an average of 100 per day now, before it was an average of 100 per week. The processing takes a couple of months, any student who has a problem should lodge a complaint on the alumni WhatsApp platform. It will be escalated to the necessary authorities. For those who graduated earlier than 2011, the analogue system was in place then, so they have to trace their results from the department, they should have copies of the results, then the department would forward to the faculty and from there to the senate. Out of those complaining on late processing, maybe one or two, but they should lodge their complaints, all would be addressed.” There are, however, fears of network hitches over the WhatsApp option of lodging complaints.
All that Feyisara and Comfort are seeking is the intervention of the school authorities for a swift processing of their transcripts. As for observers, tertiary institutions should quicken their transcript processing systems so as to save graduates like Feyisara and Comfort from anguish.
