“The Foundation for Education and Social Justice Africa is saying we want to appeal to the Higher Education Minister Dr. Blade Nzimande to collaborate with university vice-chancellors to help students for the 2023 academic year,” said the Foundation for Education and Social Justice Africa’s, Hendrick Makaneta. He further expressed to VOC Breakfast on Friday morning that he would like the minister of higher education to place a halt on academic and financial exclusions.
Makaneta said that many students who entered university in 2020 were used to online learning and teaching but the transition of physically attending classes was a difficult adjustment for many students.
He further stated that in online classes, lecturers posted their lectures and students could watch the videos over and over until they understood while physical classes do not give students this option.
The moment a student misses one lesson they automatically fall behind, according to Makaneta. Full-time students are also expected to pass a certain number of modules and failure in doing so can result in the university excluding them permanently – this is what the organisation means when they speak about academic exclusion.
According to Makaneta, many students owe universities tuition fees – particularly students who don’t qualify for NSFAS. Makaneta said their organisation is asking universities to let these students sign an acknowledgment of debt instead of excluding them.
Makaneta stated the organisation sent a letter to the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Higher Education and hopes to have a meeting next week Monday or Tuesday with the Minister and resolve this issue.
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