THE University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has decided to adjust the 2016 sessional dates and to extend the semester to ensure that the 2016 academic programme at the university is completed.
According to Lesiba Seshoka, executive director: corporate relations at UKZN, a special task team was set-up to propose a workable catch-up programme to enable students to complete all lectures, tutorials, tests and seminars before the end of 2016, so students receive the full benefit of the academic year.
“The recent surge of student protest action caused unprecedented disruptions across the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) campuses and regrettably led to the loss of valuable teaching time. The unfortunate effect has been the delay of the over-all schedules of many programmes,” said Seshoka.
The proposal tabled and approved by the Senate of the University structured the sessional dates to:
• Extend the academic calender by almost four weeks.
• Enable the 2016 academic programme (lectures, tutorials, and/ or seminars) to be completed in the current academic year, with lectures ending on Thursday, 24 November.
• Schedule the study week to commence on Friday, 25 November and the main exams to commence on Wednesday, 30 November.
• Defer supplementary examinations to take place in January 2017.
“The university management remains committed to ensuring the 2016 academic programme proceeds as scheduled,” added Seshoka.
