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