When university and college departments design new academic programmes, there is a strict requirement that they should hold stakeholders meetings or conferences where stakeholders’ observations and recommendations are incorporated into the proposed programmes.
There is no doubt that education is a key driver in societal and national development in any country. Easy access to quality education and high literacy rates have contributed significantly to the development of nations.
As the year 2023 comes to a close soon, I have decided to give readers some feedback from one opinion piece published in this column that received the most local and internal attention this year.
Access to higher education has always been a big challenge in Africa, especially in countries that do not have loans and grants for their after-secondary-school students.
Last month, when the Zimbabwe High Court sentenced to death the two murderers who brutally murdered seven-year old boy, Tapiwa Makore, for rituals in 2020, there was a sigh of relief in his family and among a groundswell of sympathisers in that country and internationally that had been traumatised by the horrific act of the convicts, Tapiwa Makore senior (the boy’s uncle) and Tafadzwa Shamba. Iron
Different systems of university rankings have released results of the 2024 world and continental rankings of universities. While there have been some deserved celebrations by top performing universities and those who support university rankings, the practice has caused some serious stir in the camp of universities and stakeholders which are against these university log standings.
Written examinations contribute immensely to the assessment of students' knowledge and skills in their fields of study.
While great strides have been made in the education sector in the last millennium in Africa, there is still a perennial problem bedeviling the education systems in most countries - the presence of untrained and unqualified teachers teaching in pre-primary, primary and secondary schools.
In 1981, when I was training as a primary school teacher at Mkoba Teachers’ College, an affiliate institution of the University of Zimbabwe, I was part of the youths that welcomed the then Zimbabwean Prime Minister, the late Robert Mugabe and his special guest of honour, Swapo leader of Namibia then in exile, Sam Nujoma.
While the season of graduations is still upon us, I feel it is time to reflect on issues affecting students’ success rates at higher education institutions. It is envisaged that the advice provided in this article will assist tertiary students who find themselves struggling with completing their studies. The advice is also for those who are planning to embark on their tertiary studies.