If under pressure, why did you not resign?

As a former student and faculty member of the University of Zimbabwe, I find it insulting to those of us who worked hard to attain our qualifications that those who are privileged are awarded degrees for which they have never studied.

One would assume that your position as head of the University of Zimbabwe is one which holds the responsibility of ensuring the maintenance of a high standard of academic excellence at the country’s oldest university. But the recent act of awarding a mysterious PhD to someone who can hardly physically find her way around the campus is contrary to your public duties.

Sadly, wherever I go, mocking remarks are made about me as a former student and faculty member of the University. I have lost the pride and prestige of being a former student of the university which you head, since our academic degrees have now become a laughing stock. I am sure by this act alone, the ranking of the University has plunged to a level lower than that of an ordinary high school.

At this rate, we might as well be re-named the University of Mupedzanhamo since the university you head is now specialising in issuing second-hand and third-rate academic degrees against all the procedural obligations and regulations your office is supposed to uphold.

Any person who knows how universities award higher degrees knows that candidates are obliged to study for a certain minimum period under the guidance of a supervisor and external examiners.

At the end of the regulated period, the candidate is obliged to publicly defend her thesis and be subjected to public scrutiny by both the academic community and the public. This does not appear to have been done in breach of the regulations that ordinary students have to follow.

If any pressure had been brought to bear on you to confer this fast-track PhD, it would have made sense for you to resign your position on ethical grounds in protest, while at the same time ensuring your academic and administrative integrity.

And it is important to note that the awarding of such fake degrees damages not only the integrity of your position but that of all academics who work hard to produce highly rated students in all academic fields offered by the University.

I hope you will take time to reflect on the national and academic issues I have raised in this letter in order to uphold the status of the University of Zimbabwe as an institution of academic excellence. – Chenjerai Hove, Cert.Ed(GTC); BA(Unisa); BA Special Hons(UZ).