Yona F. Maro
R I P
- Nov 2, 2006
- 4,202
- 218
RE: FAKE DEGREES? AT LEAST NOT MAHANGA
I have keenly followed recent debate in the press and in some blogs that disputes degrees of some individuals for the reason that Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) does not recognize the Universities from which those individuals obtained their degrees. Such universities include Washington International University (WIU) in the US. The debate, especially in the blogs, has even termed the individuals as people who have no proper academic and professional knowledge and competence, and are in fact, VIHIYO! One of such individuals is Dr. Milton Makongoro Mahanga, Member of Parliament for Ukonga constituency and Deputy Minister for Labour, Employment and Youth Development, who earned his last degree (Ph.D) from Washington International University.
I am not going to discuss here why WIU has never applied to be accredited by any relevant Government Body in US (the reason for TCU disapproval), and instead the University decided to be registered with, and is a member of International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) which is officially recognized by the United Nations (UN) as a global non-governmental organization responsible for the field of adult education and is affiliated with the UN through UNESCO. (WIU has currently over 3,500 graduates from 147 countries in the world, including from all EA and SADC countries). I am neither going to discuss here whether or not TCU is already legally mandated through an Act of Parliament to regulate, harmonize or approve degrees earned from universities outside Tanzania, and even if and when that Act comes into operation, whether or not it will be retrospective and what will be the transitional provisions in that Act. I am also not going to dwell into the undisputable fact that with the evolution of Globalization, ICT and the Internet, correspondence studies, distance learning and acquiring degree by research are common phenomena, and is actually recommended, particularly for adult, elderly and working people.
Rather than discussing the above, here I just want to comment on Dr. Milton Makongoro Mahanga, whom I know very well and has followed his academic, professional and work performance for over 30 years, and who earned his last degree (Ph.D) from WIU some nine years ago, long before TCU came into being. I would like to concentrate on the quality aspects of his academic and professional awards to confirm that Dr. Mahanga is professionally and academically solid. This is further testified by the fact that all his professional and academic awards came with certain record and distinctions as follows:-
1. PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLIES PROFESSION
In 1980 when he qualified for the award of Certified Supplies Professional (CSP) from the National Board for Materials Management (NBMM), he was the first person ever to acquire CSP in Tanzania. He then became a renowned lecturer in supplies and procurement field. For over 15 years, between 1980 and 1995 he taught many students who are now senior supplies and procurement professionals and specialists, and in that period he published four must-read students study books in materials management, purchasing, costing and inventory management and control. He was later a Member and Chairman of the NBMM and was instrumental in the reforms that later culminated into the enactment of the current Public Procurement Act in Tanzania. Indeed he is being referred as THE FATHER OF MATERIALS MANAGEMENT AND PROCUREMENT IN TANZANIA
2. ACCOUNTANCY PROFESSIONAL DEGREE
In 1983 when he qualified for the award of Certified Public Accountant Professional degree (CPA) from National Board of Accountants and Auditors (NBAA), he was the first person ever in Tanzania to acquire BOTH full qualifications in supplies/procurement (CSP) AND full qualifications in Accountancy (CPA), and was, and still is, the only person who earned both CSP and CPA by passing ALL subjects of the two Boards i.e. without any exemption from any subject from both Boards. After these professional awards, his outstanding work performance as a lecturer when he was only 25 years old, Chief Accountant when he was 30 years, Bursar at UDSM when he was 36 years old and Director of Finance, Administration and Supplies when he was 39 years is highly appreciated and commended by all those who worked closely with him, and testifies his professional capability.
3. MASTERS IN FINANCE (MSc. Finance) DEGREE
In 1997 when he acquired his post graduate degree (Masters in Finance) from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, U.K. (one the U.K. top three universities in Finance Studies), he was the only person in his class who, apart from passing in other 18 subjects, was allowed to write a thesis (rather than a Project) in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of MSc. Finance degree. His thesis titled: Securitization: The Essence for Creating Secondary Mortgage Markets for Housing Finance in Tanzania was, and is still acclaimed in the Government, Universities within and outside the country and even in UN-HABITAT.
4. Ph.D DEGREE BY RESEARCH
In July 2000 when Mahanga acquired his Accelerated Executive Ph.D degree from Washington International University (he took 3 years to complete his Ph.D studies), he did so by extensively undertaking and in-depth research and writing a thesis that was acclaimed by his research professor and other local professors, and given the potential significant impact on housing policy of the thesis, he was requested by his professor (and supported by other local professors and researchers) to publish this thesis into a book. The resultant book edited and published by Dar es Salaam University Press (DUP) titled: Urban Housing and Poverty Alleviation in Tanzania is now a reference book in many libraries in and outside the country, like in WIU, UN-HABITAT in Nairobi, UDSM, ULAS, College of Planning Studies in Dodoma, NHC, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements, and home libraries of those who managed to buy the book in bookshops before it went out of stock. Several Members of Parliament were part of the customers who bought the book when DUP displayed them in the Parliament grounds in Dodoma in 2003. It should be noted that not all Ph.D research theses are recommended or are fit to be published into scholarly books, but the Ph.D research work by Dr. Mahanga was overwhelmingly recommended to be published into a book which is acclaimed by all who have read it. After publishing the two research books that culminated into his awards of MSc. Finance degree and that for Ph.D degree, Dr. Mahanga became an intermittent researcher and resource person for UN-HABITAT and has on several occasions been sent by the later to present papers in international conferences dealing with Housing Development and Housing Finance. Two of the international conferences he presented such papers were held in Baotou, China in 2002 and Weihai, China in 2003.
KWA HIYO DR. MILTON MAKONGORO MAHANGA SIYO KIHIYO, BALI NI MMOJA WA WASOMI NA WATAFITI WALIOBOBEA BUNGENI NA SERIKALINI.
John Kanyanya
I have keenly followed recent debate in the press and in some blogs that disputes degrees of some individuals for the reason that Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) does not recognize the Universities from which those individuals obtained their degrees. Such universities include Washington International University (WIU) in the US. The debate, especially in the blogs, has even termed the individuals as people who have no proper academic and professional knowledge and competence, and are in fact, VIHIYO! One of such individuals is Dr. Milton Makongoro Mahanga, Member of Parliament for Ukonga constituency and Deputy Minister for Labour, Employment and Youth Development, who earned his last degree (Ph.D) from Washington International University.
I am not going to discuss here why WIU has never applied to be accredited by any relevant Government Body in US (the reason for TCU disapproval), and instead the University decided to be registered with, and is a member of International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) which is officially recognized by the United Nations (UN) as a global non-governmental organization responsible for the field of adult education and is affiliated with the UN through UNESCO. (WIU has currently over 3,500 graduates from 147 countries in the world, including from all EA and SADC countries). I am neither going to discuss here whether or not TCU is already legally mandated through an Act of Parliament to regulate, harmonize or approve degrees earned from universities outside Tanzania, and even if and when that Act comes into operation, whether or not it will be retrospective and what will be the transitional provisions in that Act. I am also not going to dwell into the undisputable fact that with the evolution of Globalization, ICT and the Internet, correspondence studies, distance learning and acquiring degree by research are common phenomena, and is actually recommended, particularly for adult, elderly and working people.
Rather than discussing the above, here I just want to comment on Dr. Milton Makongoro Mahanga, whom I know very well and has followed his academic, professional and work performance for over 30 years, and who earned his last degree (Ph.D) from WIU some nine years ago, long before TCU came into being. I would like to concentrate on the quality aspects of his academic and professional awards to confirm that Dr. Mahanga is professionally and academically solid. This is further testified by the fact that all his professional and academic awards came with certain record and distinctions as follows:-
1. PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLIES PROFESSION
In 1980 when he qualified for the award of Certified Supplies Professional (CSP) from the National Board for Materials Management (NBMM), he was the first person ever to acquire CSP in Tanzania. He then became a renowned lecturer in supplies and procurement field. For over 15 years, between 1980 and 1995 he taught many students who are now senior supplies and procurement professionals and specialists, and in that period he published four must-read students study books in materials management, purchasing, costing and inventory management and control. He was later a Member and Chairman of the NBMM and was instrumental in the reforms that later culminated into the enactment of the current Public Procurement Act in Tanzania. Indeed he is being referred as THE FATHER OF MATERIALS MANAGEMENT AND PROCUREMENT IN TANZANIA
2. ACCOUNTANCY PROFESSIONAL DEGREE
In 1983 when he qualified for the award of Certified Public Accountant Professional degree (CPA) from National Board of Accountants and Auditors (NBAA), he was the first person ever in Tanzania to acquire BOTH full qualifications in supplies/procurement (CSP) AND full qualifications in Accountancy (CPA), and was, and still is, the only person who earned both CSP and CPA by passing ALL subjects of the two Boards i.e. without any exemption from any subject from both Boards. After these professional awards, his outstanding work performance as a lecturer when he was only 25 years old, Chief Accountant when he was 30 years, Bursar at UDSM when he was 36 years old and Director of Finance, Administration and Supplies when he was 39 years is highly appreciated and commended by all those who worked closely with him, and testifies his professional capability.
3. MASTERS IN FINANCE (MSc. Finance) DEGREE
In 1997 when he acquired his post graduate degree (Masters in Finance) from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, U.K. (one the U.K. top three universities in Finance Studies), he was the only person in his class who, apart from passing in other 18 subjects, was allowed to write a thesis (rather than a Project) in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of MSc. Finance degree. His thesis titled: Securitization: The Essence for Creating Secondary Mortgage Markets for Housing Finance in Tanzania was, and is still acclaimed in the Government, Universities within and outside the country and even in UN-HABITAT.
4. Ph.D DEGREE BY RESEARCH
In July 2000 when Mahanga acquired his Accelerated Executive Ph.D degree from Washington International University (he took 3 years to complete his Ph.D studies), he did so by extensively undertaking and in-depth research and writing a thesis that was acclaimed by his research professor and other local professors, and given the potential significant impact on housing policy of the thesis, he was requested by his professor (and supported by other local professors and researchers) to publish this thesis into a book. The resultant book edited and published by Dar es Salaam University Press (DUP) titled: Urban Housing and Poverty Alleviation in Tanzania is now a reference book in many libraries in and outside the country, like in WIU, UN-HABITAT in Nairobi, UDSM, ULAS, College of Planning Studies in Dodoma, NHC, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements, and home libraries of those who managed to buy the book in bookshops before it went out of stock. Several Members of Parliament were part of the customers who bought the book when DUP displayed them in the Parliament grounds in Dodoma in 2003. It should be noted that not all Ph.D research theses are recommended or are fit to be published into scholarly books, but the Ph.D research work by Dr. Mahanga was overwhelmingly recommended to be published into a book which is acclaimed by all who have read it. After publishing the two research books that culminated into his awards of MSc. Finance degree and that for Ph.D degree, Dr. Mahanga became an intermittent researcher and resource person for UN-HABITAT and has on several occasions been sent by the later to present papers in international conferences dealing with Housing Development and Housing Finance. Two of the international conferences he presented such papers were held in Baotou, China in 2002 and Weihai, China in 2003.
KWA HIYO DR. MILTON MAKONGORO MAHANGA SIYO KIHIYO, BALI NI MMOJA WA WASOMI NA WATAFITI WALIOBOBEA BUNGENI NA SERIKALINI.
John Kanyanya
