via Students reject Muchinguri as Higher Education minister – DailyNews Live 18 December 2014 by Lloyd Mbiba
HARARE – Zimbabwe National Students Union (Zinasu) has rejected the new Higher Education minister Oppah Muchinguri, saying she is not qualified to hold that post.
Makomborero Haruzivishe, the Zinasu spokesperson, told the Daily News that the appointment of Muchinguri to replace Olivia Muchena, who was sacked last week, was a retrogressive step.
“As Zinasu, we mourn the appointment of Oppah Muchinguri as the minister of Higher Education,” he said.
“This dubious appointment literally highlights the burial of higher educational system whose massacre we witnessed with pain a few months ago with the equally dubious distribution of dubious doctorates.”
Haruzivishe further accused the government of deliberately running down universities and colleges.
“As Zinasu, we are strongly against the current trend of perpetuation of mediocrity which is resulting in the depreciation of our educational standards in Zimbabwe. “This perpetuation has been embodied in the doctoring of doctorates for academically shy political individuals and now the appointment of Muchinguri who neither knows the basic concepts of appreciating modern day academic and educational systems nor can help pioneer the development of our higher educational system to spearhead socio-economic revival,” Haruzivishe said.
Although Muchinguri does not hold a doctorate, she holds a masters degree from the University of Zimbabwe.
Haruzivishe said government is not committed to improving the standards of education and welfare of students.
“As Zinasu, we have now come to terms with the fact that our government is totally not committed to our welfare and as such is doing all it can to sabotage us,” he said.
“The appointment of Muchinguri to the post of minister of Higher Education should not have been treated as just a mere seat filling exercise for our universities.
“It requires a real academic with the requisite acumen to revolutionise our educational system and spearhead its growth for the sustainable development of the Republic of Zimbabwe. Thus an academic is required not a baby sitter.”
The Zinasu spokesperson said the students’ body is holding a meeting this week to chart a way forward following the appointment of Muchinguri.
“We denounce this irresponsible appointment in the strongest possible terms and we are to hold our general council meeting this week to come up with a clear way-forward to make our government wake up from this deep slumber they are in and view academics and education with a more responsible eye,” he said.
COMMENTS
Honorable Muchinguri has transformed the Ministry of Women Affairs Gender and Community Development ,you might not be aware of that.She will do a great Job as Higher Education minister.
You don’t need an Academic to do a great job.
Zinasu should concentrate on MDCT politics and try to fundraise for their broke leader Tsvangison.What does Haruzivishe know about Higher Education munhu asina kana Diploma zvaro? He thinks to be minister of Higher Education one needs a Doctorate, what a baboon! Where was Zinasu when Coltart was minister of Primary& Seondary Education? Was he a trained teacher. Where was Zinasu when the likes of grade 7 graduates( sorry standard 6 ) when the likes of Sipepa Nkomo, Guebuza, Mupariwa, the MDC cabal became ministers? If we allow fools like Zinasu to dictate who becomes minister we will wake up vava kuti to be minister of Home affairs one should have been A policeman !or to be minister of finance one should have a doctorate in Banking and Finance!