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Yoliswa Dube Chronicle Reporter
Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) has lifted the suspension on the Diploma in Education (Primary) offered by the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU).

In a statement, ZIMCHE said the four-year suspension was lifted following the successful accreditation of the programme.

“ZIMCHE hereby announces the lifting of suspension on the Diploma in Education (Primary) offered by ZOU with effect from June 25, 2015. This is because the University satisfied the requirements for the accreditation of the programme. The suspension on the diploma had been imposed in 2011,” read the statement.

Before the Diploma was banned in 2011, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) had been turning away holders of diplomas in education obtained from ZOU seeking teaching vacancies across the country.

Meanwhile, ZOU wasted no time in inviting qualified candidates to enrol for the programme.

“Urgently visit your nearest ZOU Regional Centre (Bindura, Bulawayo, Chinhoyi, Gwanda, Gweru, Harare, Hwange, Mutare, Marondera and Masvingo) and register for the August 2015 intake. You can also register online. Visit the university website www.zou.ac.zw ,” read a statement issued by ZOU.

Minimum entry requirements to register, read the statement, are five ‘O’ Level passes, including English Language and Mathematics at Grade C or better.

The diploma was suspended for lack of content.

ZOU started offering the diploma programme in 2006 with the first group of students graduating in 2010.

The first group was employed by the then Public Service Commission for the period covering eight months, from February 2010 to September 2010 before they were dismissed for lack of ‘proper qualifications’.

One year later, ZIMCHE put up a notice in the print media suspending the ZOU Diploma in Education (Primary) course until further notice.