Zimpapers Logo

Emmanuel Ngara

Rutendo Rori Herald Reporter
Zimbabweans have been warned to be wary of external education institutions which are not registered with councils for higher education in their own countries and offer certificates which are not recognised.

Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) chief executive Professor Emmanuel Ngara said recently that many people were falling for such institutions.

He said some degree granting institutions only existed in name, with no physical addresses.

“In recent times, many of our citizens in the country and in the Diaspora have gone on to obtain qualifications from various institutions worldwide and some of these institutions have unfortunately turned out to be degree mills,” said Prof Ngara.

He said honorary doctorates which were being awarded by institutions that were not universities were not recognised by ZIMCHE.

“Some of these degree mills have started to offer online degree programmes and we would like to warn our citizens not to be hoodwinked by institutions of such questionable credibility,” said Prof Ngara.

He said the practice of forging certificates needed to be eradicated since it damaged the good reputation of the Zimbabwean education system.

Prof Ngara said local degree granting institutions should be registered with ZIMCHE if the qualifications they award were to be recognised in the country.

“There is a local institution that is offering honorary doctorates which we don’t recognise and the matter is still at the Attorney General’s Office to decide whether ZIMCHE is going to be supported in that,” said Prof Ngara.

He said ZIMCHE was inviting those who have already obtained their qualifications to visit their offices for an evaluation of the institution and the programme studied.