HARARE A degree these days costs three years of a students life and up to US$20,000 by the time tuition fees and living costs are taken into account. For a fortunate few, however, there is a way round investing large amounts of time and money produce fantastic music, organise national beauty pageants or support commun
The three categories above were in particular favour at this years Womens Universitys fifth graduation ceremony held at Zimbabwe Gardens in Chisipite.
The universitys headline act was awarding superstar Oliver Mtukudzi an honorary doctorate of music for his tireless dedication to the music industry and the impact of his work on the community.
The music icon, who accepted a degree from the University of Zimbabwe in 2003, was seen to stifle yawns during the ceremony.
The organiser of the Miss Zimbabwe beauty pageant, Kiki Divaris, also received an honorary degree. Betty Flora Mtero also got an honorary degree for service to the community, with her award received by her children.
For an academic institution, such populism would once have been unthinkable, critics said. Traditionally an honorary degree was a universitys way of marking excellence and major achievement by Zimbabwean subjects who were of conspicuous merit or had done good service to the state or to the university.
While Vice-Chancellor Hope Sadza was not immediately available for comment, a senior university official said the reason the university had conferred honours on celebrities was that it was beneficial for both sides. The university got publicity by reaching out an academic hand of welcome to someone famous, while the personality got to wear the universitys scarlet gowns with silk facings and soft black velvet bonnets with a golden tassel and the university logo, he said.
The Womens University may be interested in the power of publicity but also sought to acknowledge their communities at the same time, the official said.
You dont honour someone just because they are famous. There are many things we do in the local community to demonstrate we are not an ivory tower, and this would be one way of showing that, he said. There is no doubt Mudhara Tuku, Ms Divaris and Ms Mtero deserve these honorary degrees.
Post published in: Music