High Court sits to hear lecturers’ urgent application to stop UZ graduation

The High Court in Harare will any moment now start hearing an urgent application by the Association of University Teachers (AUT) to interdict the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) graduation ceremony set for tomorrow to be presided over by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

 

AUT says the UZ’s 44th graduation cannot go ahead because of academic fraud, corrupt practices and many irregularities associated with the hiring of unqualified part-time lecturers, sub-standard teaching methods, examination moderation and dissertation supervision, as well as other malpractices in the education training processes at the country’s premier institution of higher learning since professional and permanent lecturers went on strike on 16 April over poor working conditions and low salaries.

 

UZ lecturers have been on strike for an extended period – since 16 April – demanding a massive salary increase to US$2 250 a month, which they say is in line with regional standards.

 

The lecturers, languishing and wallowing in poverty like the overwhelming majority of Zimbabweans, currently earn a paltry US$230 a month, which cannot even sustain a student a month.

 

After many years of studying, research, teaching and writing, while imparting knowledge, UZ professors earn a mere US$230 a month.

 

The prolonged strike has led to the suspension of lectures, supervision, and examinations, significantly disrupting academic activities.
Apart from low salaries and poor working conditions, the lecturers, represented by AUT and Dr Philemon Chamburuka, are also protesting the university’s use of part-time and sometimes unqualified adjunct lecturers, and irregular teaching methods, supervision and examinations, leading to the controversial graduation ceremony set for tomorrow.

 

AUT initially filed an urgent court application seeking to stop the graduation on 9 August.
It was set down for 11 August, but was withdrawn and refiled on 13 August – yesterday.
It will be heard anytime now starting midday.

 

AUT is the applicant, while UZ, vice-chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo, chancellor President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Higher Education minister Amon Murwira, UZ students union, Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education, Council for Legal Education, Law Society of Zimbabwe, Council of Social Workers, Zimbabwe Institute of Engineers, Medical and Dental Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe and Council of Veterinary Surgeons are the respondents.

 

The lecturers – standing firm against the failed Mapfumo administration – want the graduation delayed until “procedural irregularities” and “breaches of academic standards and university regulations” are rectified.

 

They also want a detailed forensic audit of the university’s academic processes related to appointment of staff, teaching, examination moderation and dissertation supervision within 14 days.

 

“The procedural irregularities and breaches of academic standards outlined above threaten the credibility of the degrees to be conferred by the 1st respondent (UZ).

 

Allowing the graduation to proceed under these circumstances would cause irreparable harm to the academic integrity of the institution of which the applicant (AUT) forms part,” the application says.

 

“The integrity of the education system is paramount, and the court’s intervention is essential to uphold academic standards and ensure fair and proper treatment of all students.”

 

The application adds:
“Immediate court intervention is required to prevent the respondent (UZ) from conferring degrees based on compromised academic processes in contravention of the provisions of the University of Zimbabwe Act (chapter 25:16), more particularly s4(b).

 

Failure to address these irregularities before graduation would cause significant and lasting damage to the institution.”

 

Newshawks