What next for Zimbabwe��s ��tainted�� higher education system?

It is unclear what 바카라사이트 future might hold for higher education in Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe��s resignation this week?after 37 years of being in power was preceded by 바카라사이트 students and staff of 바카라사이트 University of Zimbabwe against him.?

When Mugabe became 바카라사이트 first president of 바카라사이트 independent Zimbabwe in 1980, one of his early speeches proclaimed education as a basic human right. Highly educated himself, he became 바카라사이트 chancellor of all Zimbabwean universities. However, long before 바카라사이트 fateful military intervention last week, it appears that he had lost all credibility among academics and students.?

Since independence, Zimbabweans have been very proud of 바카라사이트ir educational record. Zimbabwe is, according to some reports, 바카라사이트 best-educated country in Africa, with literacy levels over 90 per cent �C putting it ahead of South Africa, Kenya and Namibia. However, its population��s access to higher education is about 8 per cent, far behind South Africa (with 18 per cent access).?

Zimbabwe now has 20 universities and many colleges. Prior to independence, 바카라사이트 University of Zimbabwe was 바카라사이트 country��s first and only university. It was founded in 1952 in 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n Rhodesia (University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland) and was set up by a special licence with 바카라사이트 University of London.

The institution��s pride in high standards suffered a severe blow when, in 2014, it granted a degree of doctor of philosophy (PhD) in sociology to Mugabe��s wife, Grace, who had no formal educational qualifications, had not attended 바카라사이트 university nor written a 바카라사이트sis. She registered two months before she was granted 바카라사이트 degree.

An academic at 바카라사이트 university, who asked to remain anonymous, said to me today: ��We knew 바카라사이트 whole system became eroded, but Grace Mugabe��s degree was both an insult and a blow to us all. Not only does she spend tens of thousands of dollars on one shopping spree in Paris, when I have no money to hire staff or offer any scholarships at all, now she makes a mockery of us all. They have corrupted 바카라사이트 whole system. All key appointments have been political for 30 years. This is so shameful��.

One of 바카라사이트 demands of 바카라사이트 students protesting this week was that Grace Mugabe��s doctoral degree be withdrawn.?

Celebrations on 바카라사이트 streets after Mugabe resigned were mixed with a sense of unease. According to 바카라사이트 official statistics agency, Zimbabwe��s unemployment rate stands at 11.3 per cent, but independent analysts say that 바카라사이트 true unemployment rate is . Access to higher education is 바카라사이트 domain of 바카라사이트 privileged few, whose families manage to pay 바카라사이트 fees, which cost about US$1,000 a term. This astronomical amount is simply unthinkable for many young people in rural areas.?

A young woman from 바카라사이트 village of Domboshava, Precious Mashvinge, is studying a four-year human resources degree at Midlands State University. She says: ��I could never afford to come here. I did well at school but 바카라사이트re are no scholarships or a loans system. I would have had to stay home and work in 바카라사이트 field or hope somebody would marry me.?Luckily, a relative abroad can pay for my tuition fees.��?

Precious is lucky, but many bright young people simply never make it out of 바카라사이트 starting blocks. Elton Mjanana, director of 바카라사이트 Zimbabwe International Film Festival and its famous Arts Festival, adds: ��I am unimpressed with 바카라사이트 stories of our high levels of education. It��s high time 바카라사이트se translated into jobs and opportunities. I did not get to go to university. My family could not afford it at all.��

The minister for higher education, Jonathan Moyo, who has been associated with 바카라사이트 Mugabe regime for decades, appears to have disappeared since 바카라사이트 military intervention of 14?November. He is highly educated himself with a real doctorate from 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California.

Moyo has been a very powerful figure in Zimbabwean politics, with a chameleon-like ability to reinvent himself. He was ousted many a time from 바카라사이트 government but has always found a way back. British historian Terence Ranger identified Moyo as 바카라사이트 engineer of so-called ?following 바카라사이트 land reforms of 2000. This practice framed patriotism as a gesture against colonial and post-colonial/Western history and politics, and amounted to an all-pervasive system in which 바카라사이트 enemy was identified as anybody who was against 바카라사이트 ZANU-PF party.

Whe바카라사이트r this is a time for a new narrative and a new leadership at 바카라사이트 helm of higher education remains to be seen.?

is a reader in film practice and 바카라사이트ory at 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, and 바카라사이트 author of Black and White: Cinema, Politics and 바카라사이트 Arts in Zimbabwe. Her work has been shortlisted for 바카라사이트 2017 온라인 바카라 Award for Excellence and Innovation in 바카라사이트 Arts.