SPEAKER of the National Assembly, Dr Tulia Ackson has warned over the growing number of Honorary Doctorate Degrees obtained through people offering money, noting that they tarnish the integrity of the education sector in the country.
She further said the fraudulent move was only meant to dupe children’s perception on education that it is an easy path.
Dr Tulia issued the warning after Mlalo Legislator Rashid Shangazi (CCM) asked for the Speaker’s guidance over the issue in the Parliament, on Thursday.
The lawmaker indicated that the Parliament recognises legislators by their professional titles like engineers, medical doctors, honorary doctors and academic doctors.
According to Mr Shangazi during the previous Parliamentary session, Special Seat Legislator Ritha Kabati was honoured with an Honorary Doctorate and brought her certificate in the house and the Speaker made the official announcement.
“Recently, a section of the Parliamentarians have been conferred with doctorates but their new statuses have not been recognised.
“What is the Speaker’s ruling in the matter…to what extent are the higher learning institutions responsible for the conferment recognised by education authorities within the country?” asked Mr Shangazi, further asking to what extent does the education authorities recognise the existence of the doctorates?
Besides, the lawmaker also revealed that there are parliamentarians who have served in a very short period of time and have already been conferred with Honorary Doctorate status, but there were others who have been in the position for quite a long period of time without getting the honour.
The Speaker recounted a clarification which was once given by Prof Palamagamba Kabudi relating to Honorary Doctorate Degrees as a very appropriate one which should be referred to.
She cited an example of the honorary doctorate conferred to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, stating that the offering institution carried out research of her work before assuming her Presidency roles and arriving at the decision.
“There will come a time when those acquiring the degrees due to merit and those who obtain them in exchange will be placed under the same basket,” cautioned the Speaker.
She insisted that the nation needs to be aware and know the right mechanism to be employed, hinting that by not doing so the country is digging its own grave.
“As leaders we need to lead by example…we have taken our children to school so that they can study hard and in turn perform well, but which examples are we setting by buying these honorary degrees,” she queried.
She was of the view that the education minister has elaborated very well and specifically indicating- what a recognised and unrecognised institution should look like.
“Such institutions do not offer degrees every day of the month or year, may I urge the lawmakers to make follow-ups on how many Honorary degrees have been offered by local universities in the country like UDSM, University of Dodoma and others.
“It’s critical for us as leaders to put in place specified guidelines for those who are following in our footsteps…Tanzania is not a village, the colleges that offer these honorary degrees should have conferred them to everyone in respective countries but they are not doing this,” she said.
The procedure for awarding honorary degrees is known by many, citing the ones which were being offered as sweets in the streets were not acceptable.
“We are actually devaluing the nation and most especially our education sector and those who rightful deserve the honours,” she pointed out.
Earlier, the Minister for Education, Science and Technology Prof Adolf Mkenda explained that being conferred a Doctorate of Honour involves three ways including through coursework and dissertation in a recognised higher learning institution globally.
Secondly, an individual may obtain the doctorate by thesis, whereby the person registers in any college and will be assigned a supervisor of his/her research until conferment.
And, lastly involves Honorary doctorates due to the achievement and contribution made by an individual and recognised by an institution to confer him/her the doctorate under a required arrangement.
He noted that the ministry possesses the ability to make follow-ups in any higher learning institutions offering the doctorates, adding that all colleges should obtain registration in the country.
Prof Mkenda cited an example of UDSM whereby a person is conferred with the Honorary Doctorate Degree after a submission of a proposal within the college.
“All the three ways, if you want to verify in case of a job application among requirements involving a PHD, the hiring authority may demand verification of your degree from TCU…we will communicate with the education authority in the country acquiring the doctorate taking into account issues of registration, competency,” he said.
After verification, he noted that the ministry will send a report to the hiring organ and if the institution was not recognised the report will also single out the factor.
