Zimbabweans Urged To Verify Foreign Universities Before Enrolment

The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) has advised parents and guardians to verify the accreditation status of foreign institutions with the regulatory body before sending their children abroad for studies.

The advisory follows an increase in cases where local students return with qualifications from unaccredited institutions abroad that are not recognised in Zimbabwe, leaving their degrees invalid and limiting their career opportunities.

ZIMCHE chief executive officer, Professor Kuzvinetsa Peter Dzvimbo, told Zimpapers that Zimbabwe’s 21 universities offer degrees that are comparable to those provided by reputable institutions worldwide. He said:

“One of the important things is that before parents send their children abroad, they should come and check with us because we want to tell them and make sure that the university they are going to is actually recognised in its own country.

“If it’s not recognised, your son or your daughter will not be able to work in this country.

“It’s a traumatic experience for both the child and the parent as they spend a lot of money. We have had people who come back to us and say, ‘I didn’t know this particular institution was not recognised’.

“The institution we went to is not even recognised in its own country. So, you cannot have credit for that particular degree programme.”

To combat this, ZIMCHE is embarking on a nationwide public awareness campaign to educate parents, guardians, and prospective students on the importance of verifying the accreditation status of foreign universities before enrolment. Said Prof Dzvimbo:

“We will continue to work on radio, to work on TV, to download the prints and media and to inform the general public that they must check with us.

“Whether that institution is in Europe or whether that institution is here on the African continent or in Asia or Latin America, please check with us.

“You can send us an email, and we will be more than happy to explain to you, and we do not charge for that service. It’s free.”

More: Chronicle

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