The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has stopped the public from addressing recipients of honorary degrees as ‘doctor’ or ‘professor’.
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In a published statement, the council’s chairperson Estone Yobe Sambo said the move is meant to promote ethical and legitimate practices in higher education.
He said an honorary doctorate degree is confered as a way of honouring individuals for their outstanding contribution to a specific field or society in general and not earned through academic achievement.”Such degrees cannot be designated as qualifications but honours. Honorary degrees are ceremonial awards,” he said.
Sambo added: “The recipient of an honorary doctorate degree should not address himself or herself as ‘doctor’. However, such honours can be placed on the resume under ‘achievements and awards’ section,” said Sambo.
Among others, the council has therefore directed that, honorary doctorate degrees shall only be awarded by accredited higher learning institutions whose accreditation status is recognized by NCHE.
However, some commentators have wondered why NCHE has issued the regulation without punitive measures.
“A regulation which carries no punitive measure is as good as good as not existing at all,” wrote politician Ken Ndanga on his Facebook page.
