Students at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in western Kenya must return to the varsity on 20 July, claims an article on the blog MNews that’s been shared on Facebook.
It says the university’s academic affairs registrar issued a memo informing third-year students that once they return, they will begin exams on 22 July.
“This is to inform all 3rd year students that they should report to school on 20th July 2020 to undertake the exam that is scheduled to start on 22nd July 2020,” it quotes the memo as saying. “Failure to which one is responsible and answerable to the same. The examination timetable will be available soon.”
In March Kenya’s government closed all learning institutions to slow the spread of Covid-19. Schools will only reopen in January 2021, while universities are set to reopen in September, subject to strict public health measures.
But is the memo legit? We checked.
On 13 July the university warned that there was no such memo.
“Fake Memo Alert! Students are requested to disregard the memo below and treat it as fake,” it tweeted.
In a later tweet, the university posted a real memo informing “all undergraduate students” that exams for the second semester of the 2019/20 academic year “will take place between 27 July 2020 and 21 August 2020”.
“A formal examination timetable will be circulated soon.” – Grace Gichuhi
It says the university’s academic affairs registrar issued a memo informing third-year students that once they return, they will begin exams on 22 July.
“This is to inform all 3rd year students that they should report to school on 20th July 2020 to undertake the exam that is scheduled to start on 22nd July 2020,” it quotes the memo as saying. “Failure to which one is responsible and answerable to the same. The examination timetable will be available soon.”
In March Kenya’s government closed all learning institutions to slow the spread of Covid-19. Schools will only reopen in January 2021, while universities are set to reopen in September, subject to strict public health measures.
But is the memo legit? We checked.
Exams begin on 27 July
On 13 July the university warned that there was no such memo.
“Fake Memo Alert! Students are requested to disregard the memo below and treat it as fake,” it tweeted.
In a later tweet, the university posted a real memo informing “all undergraduate students” that exams for the second semester of the 2019/20 academic year “will take place between 27 July 2020 and 21 August 2020”.
“A formal examination timetable will be circulated soon.” – Grace Gichuhi
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Misinformation knows no borders and Africa Check often responds to similar false claims from country to country.
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