Youth unemployment is a painful reality in many African countries, with young people losing hope that things will never get better.
Bridget Soko, a university graduate from Malawi, took to the popular social media platform TikTok to protest this.
Watch: Woman burns her university degree
@upilemkulumba #bananarepublic ♬ original sound - Upile Mkulumba
The young woman, who holds a qualification in business administration, posted a clip of herself singing by a fire where she seemingly burned her qualification to ashes.
“You reach a point of getting tired. Whenever I see this degree, it gives me fake promises that I will get a job,” she said in the video.
This shocking video garnered a lot of attention, with other TikTok users supporting her cause, while others said this was an irresponsible and pointless act.
Among those who caught wind of the video was her university, Exploits University, who swiftly responded.
“We have learnt with disappointment that you recorded a video clip burning a degree that we awarded to you upon completion of your studies with Exploits University and posted on social media.
“It is our interpretation that you did this to disregard and tarnish the image of the university. The university is therefore revoking the degree of business administration awarded to you,” said the institution’s president Desmond Bikoko in a letter addressed to Soko.
He added that she is no longer a graduate of Exploits University as her qualification was invalidated with immediate effect.
The university received heavy criticism for its decision to annul Soko’s degree. “They should have employed her instead to show that it's not useless. Otherwise, take them to court. It's hers she can do whatever she wants,” commented a TikTok user.
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