As a result, Education activists and student unions are calling on the Higher Education Minister to stop academic and financial exclusions for the 2023 academic year.
The Foundation for Education and Social Justice Africa said that is it no surprise that that the readjustments required after the Covid-19 pandemic has taken a tremendous toll on students across the country.
The organisation’s deputy chairperson Hendrick Makaneta explains that during 2022, many students had to transition back to physically attending classes which affected them in a way that they failed dismally, and the poor performance now meant that they are unable to complete their studies.
“It was a huge transition for them, which led to the drop in these students’ pass rate,” says Makaneta
He says that the statistics revealed that the drop in the pass rate during 2022 means that students were somehow doing better during Covid-19, and that is why the organisation is calling on the minister (Blade Nzimande) to intervene.
Many were excluded academically, which is why we want to plead with the minister to overlook the situation and make arrangements for these particular students who enrolled in 2020 during Covid-19.
Additionally, some students also owed universities large sums of money, which they might not be able to settle before registrations open for the 2023 academic year.
This means that even if some students had done well academically, they might encounter financial exclusions that will prevent them from progressing.
“In that case for such students the minister should collaborate with universities to make sure that these students sign the acknowledgement of debts so that later on in their lives when they are able to pay, they can, but for now they should be allowed to register and finish their studies,” he added.
Makaneta says the organisation wants Minister Nzimande to issue a directive for this academic year that will suspend academic exclusions so that students could get the opportunity to pursue their studies.
The organisation has also called on private sectors to come on board and help fund students to lessen the financial burden and assist in preventing financial exclusions on education.
