Concerns on some un-academic culture and attitude at Malawi’s Mzuzu University
When people apply for University Education whether as generic or upgrading students I do believe they have the conviction that they can keep abreast with the tempo and challenges associated with abstract critical thought and higher mental faculties. I am also of the belief that everywhere else across the globe within the spheres and confines of academia; University Education is meant to mold critical thinkers and scholars worth the pinch.
Therefore it comes as a surprise for some people to be roaming around claiming that some of us lecturers are bent at kuavutitsa or making life tough for them. This only shows that they have a fallacious, misconceived and twisted perception of what University Education entails. The whole issue is not about routine or just getting by or proforma neither is it about kuvutitsa anthu or getting a degree on a silver platter, rather its about standards and the quality of a graduate one becomes in the final analysis.
You may negotiate your way through the system and eventually graduate but if you are half-baked and wanting in knowledge, intellect and above all else critical thought, for all practical purposes you eventually bring the name of your University into disrepute wherever you find yourself after graduation.
Therefore when some of us try to maintain standards don’t construe us as trying to make life tough or difficult for you but rather we are trying to mold you into graduates to reckon with and worth the salt so that at the end of the day wherever you go to work or for higher education you don’t taint the name of the University.
The concern comes amidst bickering especially from some upgrading students that some of us lecturers are trying to make life tough for them or tikuavutitsa. This culture unfortunately is slowly infiltrating our crop of generic students and is corrupting the whole system.
It should be pointed out that such a culture is unacademic and unscholarly and if one cannot keep abreast with the challenges and tempo of University Education why apply for enrollment in the first place. The gist of the matter is about standards and protecting the image of our esteemed University.
Not only that It is also about protecting some of our images as professionals and lecturers of high caliber and integrity because the University and graduates thereof carry our names and reputations such that if anyone meddles in the final analysis it will tarnish our images as well.
My plea is that people should change the mindset and attitude wherever it emanated from or else the essence of higher education is defeated with negative externalities on standards of education not only here but nationally.
*MARISEN ‘MAESTRO’ MWALE IS A LECTURER AT MZUZU UNIVERSITY
