Lecturers dismiss directive on PhDs

Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) has dismissed a directive that all assistant lecturers in public universities must acquire doctorate degrees.

The order was issued by the Commission for University Education (CUE), who said that all assistant lecturers must hold Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees by October this year to be able to teach.

According to CUE, those who will not have attained the required academic qualification by then should count themselves relieved of the duties. The directive will also affect private universities.

But Uasu dismissed the demand, terming it practically-impossible to implement and which is meant to cripple learning in public universities for years.

“We dismissed the PhD requirement, based on a report dated October 27, 2014 called Harmonised Criteria and Guidelines for Appointment and Promotion of Academic Staff.

“It can never happen and if you look at the time that has elapsed from 2014, you know that CUE can’t implement the report. It is a bad policy,” said Uasu Chairman Muga K’Olale.

He said that out of the 10,500 teaching staff in the universities, only 2,000 have PhDs. As such, he added, implementing the order would only create a crisis in the institutions of higher learning.

“We target to have 10,000 PhD holders but we don’t have them now. All universities are understaffed and the newly elevated ones don’t even have a single PhD holder,” Prof K’Olale said.

Closing down

He said if the order was to be implemented, it would mean closing down the universities for five years to enable the lecturers acquire the said academic qualification.

“The order can’t see the light of the day. It means universities will close for a minimum of five years, the duration required for studying for a PhD. It can take you longer,” K’Olale said.

He said resources were another major challenge since nobody was sponsoring PhD education in the country at present.

“Staff have to look for their own resources to sponsor their education as universities are not providing research funds. They also have to contend with heavy workloads that leave them with no time for self-development,” the chairman said.

He also observed that some universities don’t offer PhDs and those enrolling for them have to study elsewhere, in the process creating a non-conducive working and learning environment.