Cape Town - A Rwandan mental health nurse said a mistake from the University of Western Cape (UWC) over her admission has resulted in her wasting two years of her time after she was initially admitted to the Master’s programme, and later told she should never have been admitted.
Aline Mukashyaka, 31, had completed her undergraduate studies at the Kigali Health Institute in 2009, then completed three years of practical experience and was registered as a mental health nurse in 2013.
Hoping to advance her knowledge in psychiatric nursing, she applied to study at UWC after recommendations from a relative in Cape Town, who had studied computer science at the university.
She applied to UWC, providing them with the required documents, and was accepted to study for the M Nursing programme on January 12, 2014, whereupon she quit her job in Kigali.
Mukashyaka arrived at UWC in February 2014 and completed just under 80 of the required practical hours to complete her degree.
“During this entire period of my studies, not even once was I ever informed of any issues with regards to my admission,” said Mukashyaka.
At the start of the 2015 academic year, she registered as required for students living on campus. But at the beginning of February 2015, a postgraduate administrative officer informed her and other students through e-mail to halt their registration because they were not registered with the South African Nursing Council (SANC).
On March 10, 2015, Mukashyaka received a letter from the nursing school’s postgraduate co-ordinator, Jeniffer Chips, informing her that she should never have been registered by the university because she was not registered with the SANC.
When she personally went to the SANC’s offices in Pretoria on July 9, she was told that she could not register to study nursing in South Africa because its qualifications authorities did not recognise her Rwandan qualifications.
An orphan of the Rwandan genocide, she now lives in Belhar, close to the university, and depends on friends and family members from home for financial support while she decides what to do next.
University spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo admitted they had blundered in accepting Mukashyaka.
Tyhalibongo said Mukashyaka’s qualifications had been queried by the university’s auditors, and that it had offered her numerous options of studying for the undergraduate course. The fees that she had already paid would be reimbursed.
“She definitely needs to finish the undergrad degree, she would be credited where possible.”
@mtyala
Cape Times