A recent staff audit at Bindura University of Science
Education (BUSE) reveals a massive shortage of professors and teaching
assistants, among other serious shortcomings compromising the quality of
learning at the institution.
The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), which
carried out the audit, declared that “a university with a scarcity of
professors is not worth existing” in its recommendations, as it urged the
authorities to take urgent corrective measures.
The assessment report, which puts all the university’s
faculties under the microscope, examined a number of determinants including the
staff-to-student ratio, curriculum quality, leadership structure and teaching
staff.
Auditors looked at the faculties of Commerce, Agriculture,
Social Sciences and Humanities, Science as well as Science and Education.
Shortcomings were observed in all faculties, resulting in
questions being asked about the quality of education being offered by the
institution.
A review of the faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
shows that the ratio of professors stands at 26%.
“The faculty has only one teaching assistant and no
technicians/technical demonstrators who are meant to assist lecturers and
students. Lecturers should have adequate time to carry out research and
community service which is not easy with such limited support,” noted the audit
report.
An appraisal of the faculty of science also shows similar
trends, with a deficit in professors whose ratio is pegged at 19,44%. The
faculty has two teaching assistants.
Auditors observed that the faculty of commerce was not
operating in line with ZIMCHE guidelines.
“A number of PhD holders in the Faculty are not tenured,”
read part of the report.
“Although some PhD holders, like Dr (Felix) Chari and Dr
(Roselyn) Karambakuwa, are tenured, they are still in Grade 6. This is an
anomaly observed in all other faculties and relates to university policy of
employment and promotion that is not aligned to what has been stipulated by
ZIMCHE guidelines.”
The report further states that there “is a low number of
PhD holders within the faculty of Commerce at 21,8%.”
ZIMCHE also questioned the competence of the team leading
the faculty.
“The Faculty of Commerce is headed by an Executive Dean.
The Executive Dean, Professor (Blessing) Maumbe, is not a tenured academic
member of staff but employed on a five-year contract.
“There were questions about his qualifications in
Agricultural Economics and their adequacy and relevance to lead a Faculty of
Commerce. It was felt that a person with Commerce background would be more
appropriate to lead the faculty and also provide the necessary academic
leadership.
Ideally, the Executive Dean should come from one of the
departments in the faculty. Professor Maumbe’s qualifications best suit the
Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Science,” the audit report says.
The audit noted that the Faculty of Agriculture did not
have adequately trained staff, among other shortcomings.
“The report shows that there is a small number of PhD
holders at 28.2%. It was revealed that the faculty will start a Food Security
programme in August 2017 but this has not yet been accredited by ZIMCHE,
something that is worrisome,” says the report.
“It is advisable to have the curriculum vetted first than
starting something that may have issues of concern in the future.”
In the Faculty of Science, the audit revealed “that there
are few PhD holders (19.44%)” and that “there is room for improvement.”
ZIMCHE proposed a raft of recommendations that can be
adopted to address the challenges besetting the university.
“BUSE should use ZIMCHE guidelines in processing
promotions. The stiff processing instrument in place serves no purpose.
It will never help the university to achieve the results
expected Vis a Vis its mandate.
It is serving the few at the top who are suppressing those
at the bottom and in fact this is unprofessional conduct. Immediate action
needs to be taken by management.
“A university with a scarcity of Professors is not worth
existing. BUSE should rectify this without delay so that it becomes pivotal in
supporting and impacting directly and positively on national programmes.”
The audit said the shortage of teaching assistants was
unacceptable.
“There is no shortage of teaching assistants and
technicians in the country. Therefore, the low numbers of technical support
staff is not palatable. BUSE need to rectify this without delay,” the audit
says.
“It is not enough to have one teaching assistant or one
Technician for each department. There is need for each thematic area within a
programme (department) to be adequately served. The technicians need laboratory
assistants as well. The Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Science need
also field technicians.” Zimbabwe independent
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