The South African Union of Students (SAUS) has rejected plans put forward by Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande to save the 2020 academic year, declaring that the strategies put forward do not cater for all students.
We have seen various institutions move to online platforms to continue with the 2020 academic year. The department has been working towards providing essential resources and pushing out programmes online to ensure that students are not left behind. However, SAUS has rejected the departments’ proposed plans saying these are not in line with providing for all students.
SAUS has highlighted that although the Department of Higher Education proposes to provide all students with devices and data, it has neglected to address plans and measures for students who fall within the peripheral groups.
This includes : ” Missing-middle category of students; Students with different abilities, students with mental illness, Students in unconducive learning environments, Postgraduate students, Students in course with critical practical components, Final year students whose final performance will determine the articulation and social mobility, international students.”
Other concerns raised by SAUS are the uncertainty whether the academics have been trained enough to deliver good teaching practices, and how the new online teaching will affect the quality of learning and teaching and whether this will be as affective as the normal teaching practices.
SAUS proposes that for the proposed plans to be inclusive “The Department decreases in fees allowing missing middle students to have more money for other resources, for the department to build a suitable online curriculum as well as for there to be no academic exclusion for the 2022 academic year. “
