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Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE University of Zimbabwe has heeded calls by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces that educational activities must continue and reversed its decision to close the institution and postpone examinations.

University authourities announced on Monday that they were ending the semester a week earlier following demonstrations by students pushing for the resignation of both President Mugabe and the UZ Vice Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura.

The students said they were, among other things, tired of corruption at the university, including the alleged award of a “dubious” a doctor in philosophy degree (PhD) to First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe in 2014.

In a statement yesterday, the institution advised students that examinations that it had postponed to January next year in an announcement on Monday, would proceed tomorrow following assurances by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

UZ registrar Dr Noah Mutongoreni said students must ignore Monday’s statement postponing the examinations.

“Consequent to the Statement by the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces yesterday (Monday 20 November 2017) during the 8PM prime time news , all students are being advised that examinations have been rescheduled to commence on Thursday 23 November at 9AM at the current planned venues.

“We are urging all students to observe the directive by the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to be calm and to proceed with their educational programmes as scheduled. Students in residence should continue their stay on campus,” said Dr Mutongoreni.

In his statement on Monday night, ZDF Commander General Constantino Chiwenga urged members of political parties including from the ruling Zanu-PF, war veterans, students and the general public to refrain from any actions or activities that would threaten peace, life and property.

Gen Chiwenga also said educational programmes must continue as scheduled.

“Students at the country’s various institutions are encouraged to be calm and to proceed with their educational programmes as scheduled. They need to remember that one day of education lost is difficult to recover,” said Gen Chiwenga.

Former UZ students’ council secretary-general Mr Chrispen Mahachi, who led Monday’s protests, said they wanted Prof Nyagura to resign because he awarded Dr Mugabe a PhD within three months, in an act he said devalues the standards of the institution.

“This is clearly a student’s agenda as you can see our motive as students is to send a message that we are tired. Levi Nyagura must resign for donating a PhD to (First Lady) Grace Mugabe,” he said.

“Our learning standards as UZ continue to deteriorate and we have moved from number 41 on the international ranking to a three-digit number, which is totally unacceptable.” – @AuxiliaK