Classes resume at UKZN after campus shutdown

Picture: African News Agency (ANA)

Picture: African News Agency (ANA)

Published Jul 29, 2019

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Durban - Classes are set to resume at the University of KwaZulu-Natal following successful talks between the Student Representative Council and university management. 

The university was rocked by student protests last week for three days straight, leading to the university having to suspend the academic programme on all its five campuses from Thursday till Monday. 

A lecture hall was burned at the Westville campus along with other infrastructure damages. 

The issues the students were protesting for had to do with academic exclusion, the lack of National Student Financial Aid Scheme disbursement allowances and unsanitary and unsafe student residences among others. 

The university said they would meet with student leaders during the hiatus to attend to the issues. 

In a statement issued by UKZN SRC secretary-general Khumza Khumalo, he said the SRC met with the university management during the weekend to iron out the issues that have been causing the student protests.

According to the statement, the SRC and management reached resolutions on these issues: 

An establishment of a committee to monitor and support students who are at risk of being academically excluded. 

Students who are left with a few modules to complete their degrees and their modules can be taken in the second semester, should be readmitted. 

Students who did not meet their probational requirement, for example, failing one out of three modules with 45% to 48% will be looked at by the Deputy Vice-Chancellors for them to be readmitted. 

Also, students who have not received their NSFAS allowances will meet with the university Chief Financial Officer for assistance. 

“Management agreed to support the extension by the week the academic calendar to senate to cover the lost time because of the protest,” said Khumza. 

The SRC said it would still be meeting with the university management in the upcoming days to solve the outstanding matters. 

Indumathie Moodley, UKZN spokesperson, said a communique has been sent to students that lectures are resuming on Monday and everything was on track.

Daily News

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