Supervision of Masters Graduate Programmes at the Open University of Tanzania
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61538/jipe.v6i1.255Abstract
The success of any academic research activity, especially for masters students, depends on availability of supervisors. When addressing issues related to adequacy of supervisors, many aspects such as students-supervisors ratio, supervisors‘ experiences in research supervision, supervisors‘ age and many others are involved. It must be noted that students‘ supervisors in higher degrees must be senior academicians (Lecturers, Senior Lecturers and Professors) who rank senior than the degree award aspired for. According literature, most of higher learning institutions in Tanzania are suffering from acute shortage of senior academic members of staff. This study intended to explore the extent of the problem at OUT in relation to supervision process in higher degrees, Masters Programmmes in particular. The study revealed that at OUT, there is no established students-supervisors ratio which needs to be adhered and the existing students-supervisors ratio is too big. The study has also revealed that most of the senior academicians are retired officials who according to the current employment seculars, they are supposed to be terminated from employment contracts. Thus, the study suggests that deliberate efforts should be done by the institution to mobilise and provide financial assistance to junior academicians in studies and to maintain employment contracts for retired senior academicians in order to avoid problems that might occur if these officials leave the institution as they are very important for the mentoring of junior academicians in supervision process and other academic activities.References
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