The Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (DASO) in KwaZulu-Natal has written to the management of the University of South Africa (UNISA), to request that they urgently reconsider the unilateral registration changes that have been implemented.
It has come to our attention that the management has decided to change this year’s registration from semester-based to annual-based registration, including exams, causing mass confusion and distress to thousands of students.
DASO would like to request that UNISA management urgently consider the following:
- To allow final-year students to write their final examinations in June of 2021
- To allow Higher Certificate students who were unable to finish last year the opportunity to write their remaining modules in June 2021
- To allow for semester-based registration to accommodate financially strained students
This as the decision to transition to annual-based registration has resulted in a host of serious challenges for students.
Last year, UNISA students faced a huge set of challenges due to the online exam system which was introduced. Many students ended up failing modules because of poor network connections, system shutdown, and the upload of incorrect exam paper formats.
As a result, many students are one module short to complete their Higher Certificate.
UNISA students are now left in a situation where they have to wait until November to write the exams necessary to complete their outstanding module. This is an entire academic year that students will now have to place on hold which many can ill afford.
A number of students who should be completing their qualifications this semester, who are left with less than five modules, also have to wait until November to write their exams. Again, this is time wasted that will affect many students’ prospects.
UNISA is best suited as a long-distance and online learning institution to accommodate students – much more so than many in-contact tertiary institutions – with the least disruptions to the academic year. It is very concerning then that all exams have been moved to November when surely mid-year examinations could be accommodated.
Many UNISA students are entirely self-funded and are unable to afford payment for tuition upfront for the entire year. Students have budgeted to complete their academics this year but are now forced to pay for two semesters at once and to purchase extra textbooks. This unforeseen expense has now forced many students to scale back on the number of modules they are able to register for. This has a serious run-on effect on the timeframe for completion of studies.
Lastly, many matriculants were unable to apply to UNISA on time due to delayed receipt of their matric results and many other challenges. So, where many would have applied in the second semester to commence a qualification, they will now have to wait until next year to start studying.
DASO is aware that there is an ongoing online petition that has garnered 15 000 student signatures to oppose this unilateral decision undertaken by UNISA. These are not merely signatures, but a plea by those who are being left behind to be heard and accommodated.
Other tertiary institutions are still operating on a two-semester system with first-year students commencing the academic year in March.
We urgently request UNISA Management to reconsider the decision to force students to register for the entire year at once and to only hold exams in November 2021. All students should be afforded the same opportunities, taking into consideration their strained financial circumstances, to complete their academics.
DASO is founded upon the principles of fairness, freedom, and opportunity to advance the best interests of all students. We implore UNISA to unite behind the call by thousands of students to revise their decision to do away with semester-based registration and one annual November exam to ensure that No Student is Left Behind.