IN A graphic illustration of the critical state of lecturer staffing levels at the University of Zimbabwe, the institution has advertised 120 vacant posts in the state-controlled Sunday paper, The Sunday Mail.
The advert on the numerous posts — printed in a small font — took out an entire page of the broadsheet.
The worst affected department is that of medicine, where 18 lecturers are required at under and postgraduate level for disciplines ranging from cardiology to dermatology and tropical medicine.
The Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine is not much better, with 12 posts vacant, neither is the department of physiology with 10 posts which need filling.
Other departments that require lectures include the Department of Biological Sciences (9 posts), the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (8), the Department of Clinical Veterinary Studies (8), the Department of Business Studies (8) and the Department of History (7).
According to the advert, both permanent and short-term lectureship contracts are on offer.
Non-Zimbabweans would be appointed on an initial short-term contract of two years, subject to renewal. The closing date for applications is 29 February.
The UZ is scheduled to open after the March 29 polls but chances of the posts being filled are very remote. Lecturers, like other Zimbabwean professionals, have been deserting the country for better career prospects within the region and overseas. Salaries for lecturers in Zimbabwe remain low.
Students and some observers have alleged that the decision to open the UZ after elections was a political move aimed at stopping the students from engaging in anti-ruling party activities as they are seen as supporting the opposition.
Students spoken to at the varsity expressed grave concern at the quality of education they are receiving as a result of the continued exodus of lecturers.
“Students life has become hell at the UZ,” said one student. “Everything continues to crumble and, above all, the shortage of lecturers has reached crisis levels. It is no exaggeration to say the varsity is now producing half- baked graduates as we miss so many lessons owing to the non-availability of lecturers.”
Last September when the UZ opened, it was estimated that only a quarter of the then about 11 000 students turned up in the first week for the new semester as acute accommodation and financial problems kept thousands away.
This was after — in a shock move — the UZ had announced that it would not be admitting students into halls of residence for the new academic year that opened on 10 September last year.
This followed recommendations by the City of Harare Department of Health Services that the accommodation facilities were unsuitable for habitation as they lacked proper ablution and catering services. The UZ blamed student hooliganism for the move, saying it was forced to close the hostels after failing to secure funds to renovate them before the start of the new semester.
The crisis at the UZ has been acknowledged by the Minister of Higher Education who is on record as saying: “I hear there are some serious problems there. We will have to work out a plan so that all students return and complete their programmes.”
Efforts to get comment from the UZ were fruitless.
n/a • n/a Subject: n/a Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:56:17 • Yeah dread, he must go.
DREAD • DREAD@YAHOO.COM Subject: MUGABE MUST GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:16:57 • i wonder where we are heading as a country, this is the time when we need a complete overhaul of the whole Govenment.
MUGABE MUBABE MUST GO
SUBMITYOUROPINION
Please make sure you fill in all sections for your post to be submitted. Use n/a if not submitting details. The submission code below is case-sensitive. Also make sure you get confirmation that your comment has been submitted.
