The Status Quo of Doctoral Education in Universities in Zimbabwe
Globally, the importance of highly qualified human resources (holders of doctoral degrees) in providing the requisite skills for knowledge economies is well acknowledged. Sadly, African universities are reportedly lagging behind in terms of satisfying the required quantity and quality of doctoral graduates (Harle, 2013). This study was aimed at providing empirical evidence on the status of doctoral education in Zimbabwe as well as identifying the reasons for the status quo. Documentary evidence and telephonic interviews were used to collect data from all the 15 (40%) registered universities in Zimbabwe. The interviews involved doctoral students enrolled in local universities as well as in foreign universities, aspiring doctoral candidates and senior academics based in local universities.The findings showed that six out of the 15 universities were offering programmes at doctoral level in 2014 giving a share of 0.2%. The combined doctoral degree enrolment was 150 translating to a share of 0.18% of the total student enrolments. A total of 28 people graduated with doctorates from Zimbabwean universities in 2014. Approximately 565 academics from Zimbabwean universities were pursuing doctoral degrees at universities in the region notably in South Africa and Zambia and yet only one university in Zimbabwe enrolled students from the region. The reasons for this state of affairs included the stringent regulatory environment regarding doctoral study in Zimbabwe, shortage of supervisors due to brain drain, unavailability of doctoral programmes at 60% of the local universities and inadequate funding and resources. The study the study recommends that ZIMCHE and universities should revisit their standards and regulations. In addition, government needs to adequately remunerate university staff and provide funding for research and doctoral studies.
Maximising the contributions of PHD graduates to national development: the case of the Seychelles
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Religion and school
The report presents and argues in favor of the thesis that the secular school offers no alternative in modern society. Simultaneously, the author displays the basic contours of spiritual physiognomy of such a modern school which in many ways differs from the, school we know in this country. The school the author pleads for does not decide among various contents that influence forming of the young, within which the line is established between theism - atheism, but, on the contrary, pleads for the principle of humanistic education. The predominant here is the notion of methodological skepticism which marks the principle by which the process of education should be realized as though there were no God, or - which is on the same level - as though there were God. Out of this basic principle any others upon which the concept of modern secular school the author pleads for is established can be drawn. It ought not to neglect the rich, scientifically confirmed knowledge on the phenomenon of religion and atheism, which should be, presented in all school subjects where the contents allow for it as well as the Religious Culture should be introduced as a compulsory subject. By introducing this subject as a collection of knowledge on the phenomenon of the, religious, we would avoid imposing a particular religious culture as an attitude, behavior, belief and evaluation.