- CUE has revealed that 2,718 disciplinary appeals have remained unresolved between 2022 and 2025 out of 11,016 appeals filed.
- The commission has recommended a 90-day resolution deadline to prevent delays that affect graduation and academic progression.
Thousands of university students face uncertain academic futures after 2,718 disciplinary appeals remained unresolved between 2022 and 2025, according to the Commission for University Education (CUE).
The backlog, contained in CUE’s University Statistics Report 2025, exposes a gap in a process designed to provide students with a second level of review after disciplinary decisions made by their universities.
Universities recorded 11,016 disciplinary appeals during the four years. Of these, 7,178 were successful, 1,120 failed, and 2,718 remained open when the data was extracted.
The unresolved cases account for nearly a quarter of all appeals recorded during the period.
CUE warns that prolonged delays can leave students unable to graduate, transfer to other institutions or re-enrol in affected units, noting that the right to appeal a disciplinary verdict is a fundamental element of procedural fairness.
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The commission is now recommending that universities resolve disciplinary appeals within 90 days of filing, with institutional compliance reported annually through the Universities Education Management Information System (UEMIS).
In 2025 alone, universities recorded 3,017 disciplinary appeals. Of these, 1,773 were successful, 328 failed, and 916 remained open at the time the data was extracted. CUE cautions that the 2025 figures may not represent the outcome of every case filed during the year because some appeals were still pending.
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The statistics also show a high appeal success rate. CUE recorded an overall appeal success rate of 65.2 per cent between 2022 and 2025. The rate rose from 43.1 per cent in 2022 to 67.8 per cent in 2023 and reached 78.1 per cent in 2024 before falling to 58.8 per cent in 2025.
CUE says the pattern indicates a need for universities to examine the quality, evidence and proportionality of first-instance disciplinary decisions.
For affected students, an unresolved appeal can extend beyond an administrative dispute to additional semesters, extra education and living costs, delayed graduation and postponed entry into employment.
By Hillary Muhalya
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