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Unisa yet to kick off academic activities

Unisa spokesperson Martin Ramotshela.
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Activities at the University of South Africa  (Unisa) could not kick off on Monday due to confusion regarding the suspension of some programmes. The university will not be offering some qualifications, as they are yet to be accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

The institution has suspended among other modules, Bcom Finance, LLM and Education. Scores of students gathered at the Unisa  Sunnyside campus, demanding the re-instatement of the suspended programmes.

National Student Financial Aid Scheme meal allowances, one laptop per student and textbooks are among other demands.

“We want one student, one laptop and we are unapologetic about that, why, because Unisa has deliberately taken a decision to go online. You can no longer study in Unisa without a laptop, without a device, without access to internet. These are real issues that we are raising,” says National Elected SRC President Wadazanai Mazhetese.

This has left students concerned for the upcoming academic year. “The situation here is really frustrating because some of us are coming from far and the transport cost and only to find that nothing is happening, it’s discouraging,” says one of the students.

The institution has acknowledged there is a problem with some qualifications. It blames the confusion on a systematic error.

“For some or other reasons I think we made a mistake of loading some programmes in the system that had not yet received accreditation from SAQA, but the university has since intervened in that matter. There has been an engagement between the university and the necessary authorities, the Council of Higher Education and SAQA in order to get some of the qualifications back on track. I can confirm now that some of the qualifications have been accredited and offers have been made to some students,” says Unisa spokesperson Martin Ramotshela.

Unisa says all the processes are in place to meet the student’s demands.

Author- Lindokuhle Dladla

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