PETITION REGARDING THE CONDUCT AND PROFESSIONALISM OF MR. KASHALE

To: The University Administration

We, the undersigned students, wish to formally raise our concerns regarding the continued unprofessional conduct, inconsistency and questionable teaching practices demonstrated by Mr. Kashale across the courses he teaches. These concerns are shared by students from both Full-Time and Distance Education (DE) programmes, as the issues extend beyond one particular group or mode of study.

Over time, students have experienced several challenges in his courses, including Advanced Object-Oriented Programming (Advanced OOP), OOP and Mobile Application Development. These challenges range from inconsistent communication and questionable assessment decisions to concerns regarding the quality of teaching and the lecturer’s general approach towards students.

One of the most recent incidents, which further highlighted these concerns now, involved the allocation of attendance marks and the marking of the Advanced OOP mid-semester test.

Full-Time students were awarded 10 additional marks for attendance, and their tests were marked out of 20, while Distance Education students were initially required to write a test marked out of 30, without receiving the same attendance marks. Naturally, this raised questions about fairness and equal treatment among students taking the same course.

Following concerns raised by students, a message was communicated through another student indicating that DE students would instead receive 6 attendance marks and have their tests marked out of 25. However, this proposed adjustment raised further questions regarding the overall mark allocation, particularly considering that the course also included 10 assignment marks.

When students requested an updated assessment document for clarification, they were informed the following day that the lecturer had changed his mind and that the proposed marks would no longer be awarded. What made the situation more concerning was the manner in which this was communicated, with previous student messages being forwarded back into the group in a way that appeared dismissive of legitimate questions and concerns.

While this particular incident involved a difference between Full-Time and DE students, it is important to emphasise that it is only one example of the wider problems students have experienced with this lecturer.

Other concerns include:

1. Inconsistent communication and professionalism: Students have repeatedly experienced unclear communication, changes in decisions and responses that do not demonstrate the level of professionalism expected from a university lecturer.
2. Teaching quality: Concerns have been raised regarding the delivery of lessons across Advanced OOP, OOP and Mobile Application Development. Students have struggled with the quality and effectiveness of instruction, raising questions about whether they are receiving the academic guidance expected from their lecturer.
3. Rescheduling of lectures: Several scheduled Distance Education lectures have been rescheduled, creating inconvenience and disrupting students’ learning schedules.
4. Teaching methods and preparation: Students have also raised concerns about the lecturer’s apparent overreliance on AI-generated material, including ChatGPT-generated code, which is sometimes presented by simply reading through the material rather than adequately explaining the concepts. We believe that AI tools can be useful teaching aids, but they should complement a lecturer’s knowledge and ability to explain concepts, not replace effective teaching.

We wish to make it clear that this petition is not motivated by personal disagreements or an unwillingness to accept academic decisions. Students understand that lecturers have the authority to assess, allocate marks and establish academic expectations. However, such decisions should be communicated transparently, applied consistently and handled professionally.

We are not asking for preferential treatment. We are asking for fairness, accountability, consistency and quality education.

We therefore respectfully request that the university administration investigate these concerns, review the lecturer’s conduct and teaching practices, and take appropriate action to ensure that students receive the quality of education and professional treatment they are entitled to.

We hope that this petition will be treated with the seriousness it deserves and that meaningful steps will be taken to address these concerns before they continue to negatively affect students’ academic progress.

Signed: The Concerned Students