News / Local
UZ graduation scandal explodes
13 Sep 2024 at 13:54hrs | Views
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to preside over a University of Zimbabwe (UZ) graduation ceremony this morning at the main campus sports ground in Harare. However, the event is overshadowed by a scandal involving the fraudulent alteration of results for seven students who initially failed, The NewsHawks reported.
According to the official programme, the graduation will commence at 8 a.m. at the UZ Sports Ground. Unfortunately, this scandal taints what should be a celebration of academic excellence, casting a shadow over the university's already tarnished reputation and the integrity of its academic leadership.
Reports indicate that officials from the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, as well as staff from the office of UZ Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo, confirm that seven students from the Faculty of Veterinary Science had their failing marks altered to passing grades. This was allegedly orchestrated by the faculty's dean, Professor Gift Matope, through a corrupt process.
Despite being regarded as the country's leading institution of higher education, UZ has seen a significant decline in its standing due to a poor learning environment, chronic underfunding, inadequate resources, limited research output, and widespread brain drain. The university now ranks in the lower half of the Top 100 universities in Africa, a list dominated by South African institutions.
The seven students whose marks were fraudulently changed had originally failed their exams. Instead of being required to sit for supplementary exams, the lecturers were pressured to alter the grades on Monday.
According to a senior ministry official, students who failed were supposed to repeat their subjects or sit for supplementary exams after six weeks. However, university leaders instructed lecturers to alter the marks, allowing these students to pass without retaking their exams. This contravenes university policy, which mandates supplementary exams for students who fail certain subjects.
A UZ lecturer described the instructions to change the results as fraudulent and criminal. Students were similarly outraged, expressing shock at seeing their peers, who had initially failed, on the graduation list. One student called the situation "criminal," while academics warned that the scandal undermines the institution's integrity and sets a dangerous precedent for future grading standards.
While supplementary exams and re-evaluations are standard parts of university systems, these processes must be transparent and adhere to academic policies. Simply altering marks without proper justification compromises both academic standards and the credibility of the institution. This kind of fraud also creates an unfair advantage and absolves students of responsibility for their performance, potentially setting them up for failure in future academic or professional endeavors.
In recent years, UZ has been plagued by various scandals, including the issuance of fake PhD degrees, political interference, nepotism, and corruption. This latest incident adds to the growing list of problems faced by what was once a prestigious institution.
According to the official programme, the graduation will commence at 8 a.m. at the UZ Sports Ground. Unfortunately, this scandal taints what should be a celebration of academic excellence, casting a shadow over the university's already tarnished reputation and the integrity of its academic leadership.
Reports indicate that officials from the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, as well as staff from the office of UZ Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo, confirm that seven students from the Faculty of Veterinary Science had their failing marks altered to passing grades. This was allegedly orchestrated by the faculty's dean, Professor Gift Matope, through a corrupt process.
Despite being regarded as the country's leading institution of higher education, UZ has seen a significant decline in its standing due to a poor learning environment, chronic underfunding, inadequate resources, limited research output, and widespread brain drain. The university now ranks in the lower half of the Top 100 universities in Africa, a list dominated by South African institutions.
The seven students whose marks were fraudulently changed had originally failed their exams. Instead of being required to sit for supplementary exams, the lecturers were pressured to alter the grades on Monday.
According to a senior ministry official, students who failed were supposed to repeat their subjects or sit for supplementary exams after six weeks. However, university leaders instructed lecturers to alter the marks, allowing these students to pass without retaking their exams. This contravenes university policy, which mandates supplementary exams for students who fail certain subjects.
A UZ lecturer described the instructions to change the results as fraudulent and criminal. Students were similarly outraged, expressing shock at seeing their peers, who had initially failed, on the graduation list. One student called the situation "criminal," while academics warned that the scandal undermines the institution's integrity and sets a dangerous precedent for future grading standards.
While supplementary exams and re-evaluations are standard parts of university systems, these processes must be transparent and adhere to academic policies. Simply altering marks without proper justification compromises both academic standards and the credibility of the institution. This kind of fraud also creates an unfair advantage and absolves students of responsibility for their performance, potentially setting them up for failure in future academic or professional endeavors.
In recent years, UZ has been plagued by various scandals, including the issuance of fake PhD degrees, political interference, nepotism, and corruption. This latest incident adds to the growing list of problems faced by what was once a prestigious institution.
Source - online
