Informatics Publishing Limited

Abstract

University education, as higher education, is expected to produce ethically educated professionals. Such education is regulated by curriculum design and implementation; rules and regulations and structures as well as roles and functions which are expected to produce professionals. University students are therefore expected to behave as professionals-in-the-making. However, universities have been plagued with cases of students’ unrest and indiscipline which often result in destruction of property and even loss of lives. This case study investigated indiscipline in one university in Zimbabwe. It attempted to suggest a way forward towards an indiscipline-free university education. Researchers collected data through document analysis of indiscipline cases for 2013 to 2015 and interviews of selected lecturers and students by the researchers. Findings: For the three years, the university had a total of 38 disciplinary cases that were brought to the attention of the university disciplinary committee.Alcohol related cases remained the major challenge among the male students, that is, 62.5% in 2013; 63.2% in 2014 and 100% in 2015, respectively. Gross immorality, tobacco related as well as theft and forgery related cases were very minimal recording 5, 3 and 4, respectively for all the 3years. Low indiscipline at the university can be accounted by absence of food allocations to the students; geographical location of the university (it is several kilometers from the city) and the absence of beer gardens within the vicinity of the university as well as the moral values that are emphasized at the university to the student body. The study recommended collaboration between university and parents in molding the students and out-of -town locations as new university sites. 

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