I write to you as an extremely concerned Btech Architectural Technology (full-time) student currently studying at CPUT.
I don’t know if the media would be the correct body to write to about the situation at our school, but I have tried the Year Co-ordinator Lecturer as well as our Head of Department, but to no avail.
No one is taking us seriously.
I am extremely concerned about the school at the moment. It is now March 10 and as of today (four weeks into the academic year) our class has still not received a daily timetable.
We were sent home last week as no lecturers had been appointed for our class yet.
Last Monday we were told to meet in our “studio” at 10.30am, and after an hour’s briefing we were sent home and told to return to campus on Thursday (March 10). We were also told by the lecturers today (March 10) that they are unsure whether we have classes tomorrow or not.
It is now 8.30pm and we have still not been informed if we have classes tomorrow.
The academic year started on February 15 and we have yet to attend a formal class.
All we have received to date is a verbal outline of the four projects for the year. On Friday the school closes for a two-week holiday and we have yet to receive any formal lectures.
I am worried that this will negatively affect our education and qualification that we will receive at the end of the year.
Another concern of mine is the lack of facilities available to our class.
Currently our “studio” is situated in a main passage (and fire escape) of the building and I’m sure you can imagine how distracting this is for our class.
Other students walk straight though our “studio” while a lecturer addresses us. I’m not sure if I am wrong to assume that this is not acceptable?
Our studio does not have enough chairs and drawing boards/tables for all 40 students in the class.
Students sit on the floor and on window sills.
I think that this is shocking as our fees for this year are +/-R22 000.
Robyn Davids
Cape Town