Promote teachers, acting heads with correspondence degrees

EDITOR — I am a holder of a Bachelor of Technology in Education Management degree from the University of Technikon in South Africa.

I studied for the degree through the Central African Correspondence College (CACC).

When we graduated the then secretary of Higher Education, Dr Washington Mbizo gave a keynote address.

He promised us that his ministry would make sure that those who hold these degrees would be recognised.

He also said that those who hold degrees acquired through correspondence would be respected the same way that University of Zimbabwe degree holders would. That was back in 2002. Those who obtained their degrees from Zimbabwe Open University or University of Zimbabwe have been promoted. They are now headmasters.

I started acting as head of 15 teachers and 600 pupils in 2007. The auditors have been to the school and written a very good report of the financial management of the school. But I am still acting. The District Education Officer and his team visited the school. He also wrote a good report about the school. Had the DEO or the auditor found fault in my work, I would have been dismissed or charged by now.

The ministry recently took application forms from teachers who wanted to be promoted. As I tendered my application, I was told my degree was not listed among the ones recognised by the ministry.

May I know the ministry’s position. I would be very happy if our plight could be heard by the responsible offices. We also want our degree to be recognised since we worked hard.

We were also assured that they would work, now the goal posts are shifting. Chako T, Gokwe.