In honour of the facts: when a doctorate degree isn’t a doctorate degree

ALTHOUGH “honesty is the best policy”, it seems that the corruption that characterised Zuma’s presidency has affected many people in our society.

Many top posts in government were occupied by people who lied about their qualifications.

In 2014, university records could not confirm the degrees reflected on the curriculum vitae (CV) of former minister Pallo Jordan.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng former acting COO of the SABC, had no matric, although his CV told a different story. Daniel Mthimkhulu, a former Prasa executive, like Pallo Jordan, was found to have lied about his PhD qualification on his CV. In 2018 an independent audit found former chief of staff in the City of Tshwane, Marietha Aucamp, lied about her qualifications.

There are at least two kinds of liars. One that provides inaccurate information and another that withholds key information deliberately when dealing with a matter.

At Westerford High School (WHS) in Newlands, the School Governing Body (SGB) is allegedly creating the impression that its chairperson holds a doctorate as part of his qualifications. Although Walter Sisulu University (WSU) awarded the chairperson an honorary degree, Prof Rob Midgley, the vice-chancellor of WSU, stipulated unambiguously that the title can be used on condition that the recipient writes any one of (honour), (honoris causea) or (hc) immediately after the title “Dr”.

Despite this information being known to the SGB, a letter in the school’s 2019 yearbook in December was signed off only as “Dr” by the chairperson, without stating the honorary clarification.

Is the SGBs action of allowing the chairperson to contravene WSUs honorary degree policy any different from a matric pupil who contravenes the examination rules by copying material in the final examination?

In conclusion, what is the SGB at Westerford High School teaching its learners? That it is okay to break the rules when it suits you?