Earlier this week the Tshwane University of Technology had to shut down all of its nine campuses due to student protests erupting.
Now the students from the University of South Africa (Unisa), Durban campus have also protested at their campus, stating grievances about the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances which were promised on 28th February, and not been paid yet, as well as the postponement of examinations.
According to IOL News, the Student Representative Council (SRC) handed over a memorandum of demands to the university’s management that outlined their issues, which was received and signed by the institution’s board.
The memorandum further stated that students are unhappy at being rejected for NSFAS funding and also being turned away for registration.
“It cannot be that students write exams on empty stomachs and with no study materials, the exams must be postponed until such time everyone is prepared,” said Unisa’s KwaZulu-Natal SRC president, Lungile Nhlenyama.
According to the memorandum, many students’ applications for funding were rejected by NSFAS due to poor performance. While the policy for NSFAS states that students who fail more than 50 percent of their modules are not eligible for continued funding.
“As a university we have no control over NSFAS operations, all we can do is liaise with them and sat these are the problems please solve them,” added Unisa communications manager, Siyabonga Seme.
