University of Zimbabwe (UZ) postgraduate social work students are up in arms after being told to complete an assignment that would serve as their final exam for a module that was never taught. The students claim they were not given any lectures, either physically or online, for the community health for social workers module due to the ongoing lecturers’ strike.

The strike, which began in April, has seen lecturers demanding a salary review, citing stagnant wages of less than $300 per month. Despite the lack of instruction, the course coordinator, Mr. Mavuka, allegedly marked the assignments as exam marks, sparking outrage among students.

The students are questioning the fairness of being given marks for a course they didn’t learn. One lecturer reportedly resisted similar tactics for another module, instead setting a proper exam for April 2025.

The incident has raised concerns about the standards at UZ, which may be further compromised by the prolonged strike. The university administration has yet to comment on the matter.

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