The University of South Africa (Unisa) has rejected Mandisa Mashego’s statements over fake degrees, people writing curriculum for others and other unsubstantiated claims.
Mashego made these damning statements in an interview on the Penuel Show, saying Unisa is currently under investigation for fake degrees, corruptions, and running classes which goes against the institution’s mandate.
In a statement, the university slammed Mashego’s “utterances”, calling for the public to dismiss the misleading statements with the contempt it deserves.
“She also likened Unisa to some ‘Nigerian universities’ that she alleges have no legitimacy, although they are accredited.
Unisans and the rest of the university community should dismiss the misleading utterances of Ms Mashego with the contempt they deserve.
Unisa’s academic integrity, credibility, legitimacy, and stature is not in doubt. The university continues to shape futures of various people across the world including leaders of various sectors of society.
It makes a tremendous contribution to the higher education sector by graduating around a third of all graduates in South Africa.”
Mandisa Mashego’s statements during her interview were as follows, “Unisa currently is being investigated for fake degrees, for people who sit and write exams for others, or even the entire curriculum.
One of the big things is that Unisa is a distance learning university, and it was invented by the apartheid government right? But now, Unisa is now longer a distance learning institution. Unisa now, has got actual classes. Operating squarely outside of their mandate.”
Unisa said that as a public institution of higher learning, the facility is governed by a range of applicable rules and regulations including those relating to quality assurance and accreditation.
The university called for Mandisa Mashego to withdraw her statements and publicly apologise.
Failure to do so may prompt the university to consider its legal rights to challenge Mashego and claim damages for the discrediting views.
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