Cape Town - A decision by Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) to allow students with outstanding fees to receive their certificates has been met with approval.
Anyone who had graduated from the institution but owed fees and thus was denied receipt may now get them after an agreement was reached between management, student leaders and other stakeholders.
CPUT spokeswoman Lauren Kansley said the rule applied to all historic students.
“It doesn’t mean you will no longer owe the debt; it means that it’s one of the first positive outcomes of the meetings with the rapid response task team.”
Kansley said the rule only applied to students who had not received their certificates. “We have had super positive feedback and I would encourage them to put it on their diary for next year It’s what we are doing now, but I don’t see us pulling it back on it.”
Students need to approach their Assessment and Graduation Centre offices to obtain their certificates.
The university will continue to use external debt collectors to retrieve outstanding fees.
SRC president Phathindwe Mncamase said it was happy about the decision and glad to be part of the negotiations. “We strongly believe the collection of debts through the withholding of qualifications wasn’t a success.
“You cannot collect debt from a poor, unemployed person.”