Times Of Swaziland: 295 Swazis graduate from Zim University

295 Swazis graduate from Zim University
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 NOZIPHO MAMBA on 02/11/2012 00:00:00


MBABANE – Since partnering with Amadi College three years ago, Zimbabwe’s
prestigious academic institution, Midlands State University (MSU) has so far
produced, 295 Swazi graduates, mainly teachers.
Currently, there are 576 students from Swaziland pursuing courses at MSU - some
of whom will graduate in December in a ceremony to be graced by the
university’s chancellor President Robert Mugabe.
On Saturday, the university’s lecturers came all the way from Zimbabwe to
Swaziland to assess academic projects for prospective graduands. The assessment
helps the university ascertain the authenticity and originality of the work the
students submit to the institution for grading. From Diploma level to Master’s
Degrees, the Swazi students, chiefly teachers, stood before a panel of
professors and other members of the Swazi academia to defend their projects by
articulating the points they raised on the projects they submitted.
This, according to Dr Alois Solomon Chiromo, helps the university determine if
the student standing before the panel is the one who wrote the thesis or it is
somebody’s work.
"If the student fails to articulate the document, we begin to suspect that
he’s not the one who authored the thesis. The projects the students do for the
university are approved by Swaziland’s Ministry of Education. In fact, the
certificates we give the students come at a price," said Dr Chiromo.
Dr Chiromo an author of books and modules said, though the courses were offered
on a block release basis, the Swazi students sat for the same examination set
for full time students in Zimbabwe. "That is why you have to work very hard if
you want to succeed at MSU," said the lecturer.
He said he was happy with the academic performance of Swazi students who had
recorded, so far, a pass rate exceeding 60 per cent.
He said the results for the Swazi students compared favourably with those of
their Zimbabwean counterparts.
He said the curriculum was ‘slightly different’ from that of Zimbabwe
because the one prepared for Swazis took into account cultural concerns, making
it relevant to local needs, demands and expectations.
Meanwhile, five teachers interviewed namely Thuli Ntshakala, Lungile
Dlamini-Sifundza, Gabsile Dlamini, Nokuthula Maseko-Sifundza and Bonisile
Dlamini-Masuku said hard work and determination were key factors for success at
MSU.