To: The Chancellor of The University of Zambia and all Readers
I am writing to respond to the University of Zambia’s press statement issued by the Acting Head of Communication and Marketing Damaseke Chibale as a rejoinder to my article titled “University of Zambia Degrees are Inferior Says UK Home Office” that appeared in the Lusaka Times of March 6, 2024. Applying the kill the messenger fallacy, Chibale accuses me of spreading malicious information aimed at undermining the credibility of the University of Zambia.
What I sincerely perceived as a contribution to sharing knowledge critical in making institutional changes required for the enhancement of the University of Zambia to meet the needs of global competition and the knowledge economy has been misconstrued as a malicious motive aimed at tarnishing the image of the University of Zambia. Contrarily, the impression portrayed of me by Chibale does not conform to my character and qualifications as a scholar and multicultural researcher.
As a media and scholar practitioner, I have authored a plethora of articles for newspapers in both the United States and Zambia [refer to my Wikipedia page]. Prior to composing the article in question, I diligently conducted extensive research, just as I have done for all the articles you may have come across. I have consistently prioritized truth, accuracy, and objectivity, recognizing them as the fundamental principles of journalistic ethics. The verification of sources has been an integral part of my work, as it is a crucial discipline within the realm of research and journalism. Not once have I been accused of malicious intent.
The motivation for my article stemmed from a scholarly publication titled “Crisis? What Crisis? Malawian Degrees and International Comparability” authored by Dr. Yonah Matemba of the University of Scotland. Dr. Matemba, who holds a PhD, FHEAA, and FRSA, is a distinguished educator, researcher, and authority in the field of Social Sciences. Additionally, he serves as a Board Member of the Scotland Malawi Partnership.
On page 3 of his article, Dr. Mutemba writes: “UK NARIC carries out regular, planned and periodic reviews of all of its databases, within which information is available for 208 countries. Based on NARIC’s evaluation, in broad terms, Malawian degrees are downgraded to a grade 3 lower in comparison with similar British qualifications (Zambian degrees are also downgraded and evaluated in a similar predicament while those from Zimbabwe or Tanzania, for example, meet NARIC’s standards).”
Dr. Matemba further notes that based on UK NARIC’s evaluation, Malawian and Zambian degrees are assessed as follows: Bachelor’s degrees are comparable to British two-year Higher National Diploma (HND); Bachelor’s degrees in professional subjects such as engineering, law, medicine and veterinary science are comparable to three-year British Bachelor Ordinary Degree standard; Masters degrees are comparable to British four-year Bachelor Degree Honors. In England, a Bachelor (Honours) Degree is generally a prerequisite for admission to a master’s program. An applicant from the University of Zambia is deemed ineligible due to the perceived UK NARIC evaluation, whereas individuals from Zimbabwe or Tanzania are enrolled.
According to the “Guide to Qualifications-Prospects ac.uk of May 2020, UK Higher National Diploma (HND) is a mostly vocational academic higher education qualification whose attainment level is roughly equivalent to the second year of a 3-year English degree or Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE). In other words, it is a degree inferior to the UK Bachelor’s Degree.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak refers to degrees like HND and DipHE as “low value degrees” that do not produce a graduate that supports the economy (see https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/jul/14/rishi-sunak-force-english-universities-cap-low-value-degrees). Synonyms of “low value” include “inferior” and “worthless.”
It is evident from the credible sources mentioned above that the assertion regarding the inferiority of the University of Zambia degrees is not made by me, but rather by the British Government which oversees the UK Home Office.
In his press release, Chibale avoids altogether to address the UK NARIC on Zambia and help answer questions students may be asking—is it true what Field Ruwe is alleging regarding NARIC? Is the university aware of the UK NARIC evaluation? If so, for how long has the university known and what steps has the Chancellor taken to address the issue? Why are some African countries rated better than Zambia? Why is the British High Commissioner to Zambia quiet over this matter? What measures should UNZA management implement to meet the standards set by UK NARIC?
Instead, Chibale employs the term “malicious” as a diversionary maneuver to unjustly shift the burden of proof in a style resembling the “poisoning the well fallacy.” This occurs when negative information about a target is preemptively presented to an audience, with the intention of discrediting or ridiculing what the target person has said, without addressing the actual bone of contention. The contention at the heart of my article is the UK NARIC evaluation of the University of Zambia. It raises questions the British government should address.
It is important for Chibale and individuals referencing the top 50 universities to justify the exclusion of the HPI visa to understand that, even if the Home Office were to remove restrictions and open the program to all countries worldwide, the University of Zambia would remain ineligible due to its current UK NARIC and world ranking status. That is why I specifically singled out the University of Zambia from the rest of the African countries.
In his press statement, Chibale takes pride in show-casing the University of Zambia rankings of No. 1201-1500 in the world out of 2,671 and No. 14 out of 25 universities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Such ranking numbers are subpar and are the reason the UK NARIC is at diploma level. To improve the numbers, UNZA students need a truly world class curriculum rooted in its locality and context that meets their needs.
It is true that UNZA graduates have been admitted to pursue Masters Degrees in both South Africa and the UK, as Chibale claims. However, this represents only a small fraction of the total number of graduates produced by the university annually. Attaining a Rhodes or Commonwealth scholarship is often perceived as a challenging endeavor for many individuals, while self-sponsorship is typically viewed as a luxury reserved for the affluent. Those who cannot afford are compelled to take entrance exams that many are hesitant to attempt or ultimately do not pass, resulting in them resorting to lower-status alternative employment opportunities.
Certainly, students from the University of Zambia (UNZA) demonstrate high levels of excellence and potential as their academic counterparts in any part of the world. I deeply respect and admire every student who is presently enrolled at UNZA, as well as those who have successfully graduated from the institution since its establishment. Believe me, I am cognizant of the amount of effort required to eventually ascend the podium and gladly descend with degree in hand. They all deserve better treatment when they apply for jobs at home and abroad.
Let me conclude by saying that the past days have been the most excruciating of my entire life. I have spent my life building and nurturing my reputation. I am respected in any community in which I have settled. In the academic community I have become a source of reference. I am a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Society, and the Phi Alpha Theta, an American honor society for undergraduate and graduates students and professors of history.
At California State University, Fresno, I was conferred membership in Kappa Tau Alpha‘s National Honor Society in Journalism and Mass Communication. In 2006, I became a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, an organization that recognizes college students solely on the basis of their academic achievements. Well known honorary members include US President Bill Clinton, General Colin Powell, Astronaut John Glenn and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In all the universities I have attended I have emerged as a notable alumni – Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts – https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-northeastern-university-alumni-and-students/reference
Suffolk University, Boston Massachusetts https://www.google.com/search?q=suffolk+university+famous+alumni&sca
Fresno Pacific University – Fresno California https://www.google.com/search?q=Fresno+Pacific+University+university+famous+alumni&sca
It has taken Damaseke Chibale and the University of Zambia management to undo this and present me in a false light.
I contend that the University of Zambia is liable for libel and defamation. I am therefore hereby notifying the University of Zambia that I have been left with no choice but to pursue all available legal remedies. I am further notifying Damaseke Chibale, acting on behalf of the University of Zambia and all recognizable influencers in social media to cease and desist from any further libel and defamation.
Sincerely,
Field Ruwe EdD
Ba Field, you started very well mpaka ku last when you started issuing threats. Most readers are old enough to come to intelligent conclusions from what you and Damaseke have written. No need of suing each other here.
How a person handles criticism speaks volumes about how educated they are.
That the University of Zambia took a defensive position instead of digesting the negative feedback and looking for remedial measures speaks about how far we have fallen.
Mr Field Ruwa was just the messenger. He is within his rights to sue the sh!t out of YUNZA.
You’re just as foolish as Field Rowe and you don’t even have a degree yourself. Field Ruwe did not even meet entry qualifications for UNZA. He went to America and only entered University as a Mature student.
The idyot that failed Cambridge Examinations has turned around trying make those of us that scored distinction in Cambridge inferior or less qualified than him!
That old man Ruwe is a Conman and he can manage his inferiority complex in a better way.
I went to UNZA and am proud of that. I have my Masters and PhD from Manchester and Reading Universities, UK and the foundation I got from UNZA made me sail through. By the way, I am also a Fellow of ACCA (FCCA).
Mr Ruwe, your fights about UNZA just make you a laughing stock in Zambia. The fella that failed simple Cambridge now behaves as if he is the brightest; absolutely % rubbish. We know you and your academic history in Zambia.
Those Americans that hold you in high esteem don’t know you. You will have produce your Form V (Grade 12) Certificate in court but I know you don’t even have it.
You cant even stand as an MP without a Form V Certificate, so who are kidding? I cant wait for you to go to court so that everyone gets to know that you’ve a fake PhD which you bought in America!
Abena Chilyata, this is exactly the lack of education I am talking about. Firstly, you are schooled, not educated. There is a difference. Secondly, your schooling does not give you prophetic powers to tell my level of schooling or education. Thirdly, if you were indeed properly schooled, you would know that you, as a graduate of YUNZA, can not give a reliable assessment of the alleged fall of YUNZA. It’s called conflict of interest. So, please stick your worthless schooling up there, shut up and let the elders make sensible comments.
And who are those elders you are alluding to? Is it Field Ruwe and his likes that couldn’t make the grade to UNZA in the first place?
You must increase or double the doze of the medication that you are taking. It’s like asking a Grade6 pupil to mark an UNZA Fourth Year exam script. How can you judge anything if you have no practical experience of it?
You want to talk about the taste of the food that you have never eaten, are you mad? You’re just feeling inferior to Field Ruwe just because he is in America. The idyot has never even experienced the UK University life nor UNZA so why do you think he’s more qualified to speak than me?? Bukopo.
I went to UNZA, I also did my PhD in UK and am now living and working in UK and you tell me I am not qualified to comment, why? You are sick!
You need urgent treatment or surgery to take out your backwardness just like Ruwe needs it!
I am bewildered the twist this whole thing has taken. Ruwe gave unsolicited opinion, basically a condemnation and and yet he fills offended by the rebuttal. This Ruwe wrote a very stinging attack on the person of Godfrey Miyanda in 2015 on Lusakatimes website. The venom in the sting is nothing compared to Damuseke’s rebuttal. Yet Godfrey Miyanda never sued. Follow link below. Read and then judge for yourself. https://www.lusakatimes.com/2015/07/27/brigadier-general-godfrey-miyanda-vanishes/
Ruwe has misplaced, excessive intellectual pride. Reminds me of Clive Chirwa. Well let him go ahead and sue.
Ruwe failed Form V Cambridge examinations and gas no Form V (G12) Certificate. He entered university in the USA as a mature student! How can this disgraced chap claim to be the brightest.
Let him go to court so that he can “produce” the Form V Certificate that he doesn’t have.
The idyot is mad and will only succeed in making a fool of himself before the judge!
The venom in the sting was massive compared to Damuseke’s rebuttal.
Ruwe as a journalist and educationist should have bothered to establish why UNZA degrees are being downgraded in the UK and SA and not just regurgitate what was reported. Equally, UNZA should have delved into the reports about the downgrading of its degrees and how this was arrived at. The institution’s high ranking based on research and publication output by lecturers and postgraduate students may not be reflected in better educational outcomes by students. Absenteeism among students today is rampant with little learning taking place. The failure rate among students has correspondingly become so high that supplementary exams that were the preserve of students in the medical programme are now extended to even the schools of education and the social sciences.
I meant to say “class absenteeism by undergraduate students”