Time to change tertiary education
ANONYMOUS WRITES:
There are many things going wrong at UNAM on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis.
Students complain about this among themselves but are to afraid to speak up. It's the classic David vs. Goliath battle that many fear they will face, but with a rather sad ending. An uphill battle. A battle that students think only UNAM will win.
Student solidarity is spread thin. Protests and demonstrations are no where to be found. Everyone is upset but nothing happens.
Some students know people in high places and can either get the help they need or get what they want. Students believe they have failed and blame themselves when in fact, UNAM is to blame. Students are ashamed and develop mental health issues as a result of this. Students therefore don't get a job and thereby spend more time at the university than necessary or quit altogether. Students have been treated unfairly and were purposefully exploited.
As for the latest exam results: UNAM either didn't mark some exam papers at all and just gave students an exam result average of previous result averages; or only marked a section of exam papers and then gave the students an average of the total exams of the year plus the section results; or marked only a few pages of the exam; or gave better marks for some students and bad marks for others based purely on personal preference such as ethnicity or gender.
Sometimes they refuse students to get an exam remarked, although every student has the right to do so. Asking and paying for remarking doesn't guarantee changes. Often UNAM says a remark has been done but nothing happened.
Marking exams doesn't seem to be a matter of facts, but rather an opinion of those marking them. There were even rumors of lecturers who have approached or harassed students to improve their marks or to provide exam question papers in exchange for certain services or money.
Who marks these exams? Are they qualified and experienced and well motivated to mark them? How much does staff get paid to mark exams, when remarking a single exam paper is charged at N$300? How do we know for sure exams are actually remarked when requested?
How can students pass an exam the one day with a relatively normal score and then fail on the rewrite exam, which was triggered by a few students that cheated? Who is to say that cheating actually took place, when it may just be that the average score of the students was too high and UNAM wanted to give the students a more difficult exam?
How much time do examiners have to mark exams? Are examiners standardized across the board? Does UNAM actually employ qualified examiners and thereby spend their earnings to the best of their abilities and in favor of the students? Are being alive and needing cash the only qualifications required to become and examiner? Do the lecturers, examiners and people that mark the exams actually respect the students and aid them in their journey in life to be truly independent?
When there is absolutely no transparency on what goes on behind the scenes, how can we trust UNAM? How can students start their own life when they are faced with this unfair reality that seems beyond their control?
How much money is wasted or gained in this struggle? How can our beloved nation trust in education to be fair and just and to provide an equal opportunity to everyone?
Dear students, parents and UNAM staff that still care, it's time we stand up, together. It's time to join in unity to tackle this unfairness; this exploitation of your hard earned money, time, souls and minds. It's time to bring change for just, equal and genuine education and transparency.
It's time you face reality and get organized to unite to face a common enemy. It's time to think about your future, your lives and your struggles. It's time to face these nightmares and to look the evil in the eye.
It's time to do away with corruption, greed and dishonesty. It's time to free your brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers from this grip of tyranny. It's time to realize that you have to stand up against the giant, because you are not alone.
It's time not to be silent, to ignore and to forget. It's time to fight for future generations, so that they one day can have a real chance in life. It's time to remember, that this is the Land of the Brave!
There are many things going wrong at UNAM on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis.
Students complain about this among themselves but are to afraid to speak up. It's the classic David vs. Goliath battle that many fear they will face, but with a rather sad ending. An uphill battle. A battle that students think only UNAM will win.
Student solidarity is spread thin. Protests and demonstrations are no where to be found. Everyone is upset but nothing happens.
Some students know people in high places and can either get the help they need or get what they want. Students believe they have failed and blame themselves when in fact, UNAM is to blame. Students are ashamed and develop mental health issues as a result of this. Students therefore don't get a job and thereby spend more time at the university than necessary or quit altogether. Students have been treated unfairly and were purposefully exploited.
As for the latest exam results: UNAM either didn't mark some exam papers at all and just gave students an exam result average of previous result averages; or only marked a section of exam papers and then gave the students an average of the total exams of the year plus the section results; or marked only a few pages of the exam; or gave better marks for some students and bad marks for others based purely on personal preference such as ethnicity or gender.
Sometimes they refuse students to get an exam remarked, although every student has the right to do so. Asking and paying for remarking doesn't guarantee changes. Often UNAM says a remark has been done but nothing happened.
Marking exams doesn't seem to be a matter of facts, but rather an opinion of those marking them. There were even rumors of lecturers who have approached or harassed students to improve their marks or to provide exam question papers in exchange for certain services or money.
Who marks these exams? Are they qualified and experienced and well motivated to mark them? How much does staff get paid to mark exams, when remarking a single exam paper is charged at N$300? How do we know for sure exams are actually remarked when requested?
How can students pass an exam the one day with a relatively normal score and then fail on the rewrite exam, which was triggered by a few students that cheated? Who is to say that cheating actually took place, when it may just be that the average score of the students was too high and UNAM wanted to give the students a more difficult exam?
How much time do examiners have to mark exams? Are examiners standardized across the board? Does UNAM actually employ qualified examiners and thereby spend their earnings to the best of their abilities and in favor of the students? Are being alive and needing cash the only qualifications required to become and examiner? Do the lecturers, examiners and people that mark the exams actually respect the students and aid them in their journey in life to be truly independent?
When there is absolutely no transparency on what goes on behind the scenes, how can we trust UNAM? How can students start their own life when they are faced with this unfair reality that seems beyond their control?
How much money is wasted or gained in this struggle? How can our beloved nation trust in education to be fair and just and to provide an equal opportunity to everyone?
Dear students, parents and UNAM staff that still care, it's time we stand up, together. It's time to join in unity to tackle this unfairness; this exploitation of your hard earned money, time, souls and minds. It's time to bring change for just, equal and genuine education and transparency.
It's time you face reality and get organized to unite to face a common enemy. It's time to think about your future, your lives and your struggles. It's time to face these nightmares and to look the evil in the eye.
It's time to do away with corruption, greed and dishonesty. It's time to free your brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers from this grip of tyranny. It's time to realize that you have to stand up against the giant, because you are not alone.
It's time not to be silent, to ignore and to forget. It's time to fight for future generations, so that they one day can have a real chance in life. It's time to remember, that this is the Land of the Brave!
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