BARBERTON – Teaching and learning at Ehlanzeni TVET College recently stopped abruptly after angry students embarked on a strike complaining about the increase of registration fees from a mere R200 to R1 700.
Mpumalanga News learnt that on Monday morning irate students were picketing and burning tyres outside the premises to voice their frustration.
Speaking to this publication, one of them who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said,
“The reason why we decided to come and further our studies here at the college is because it’s affordable, but now they have increased the registration fees to an amount we can’t afford,” she said.
She also told this publication that the management didn’t consult with them and that they only learnt of the increase on their way to submit their application forms.
”We were not consulted, it came as a surprise to us and where are we going to get the money?”
Meanwhile the chairperson of the student representative council, Mr Bonginkosi Mkhabela, told this publication that campus management didn’t properly communicate this matter.
”We found out that the registration fee has been increased and we are against that. This institution was meant to accommodate people who are coming from disadvantaged backgrounds who can’t afford to go to universities. It’s even hard for some of the students to get the R200 because their parents are unemployed and it’s going to be harder to pay R1 700. We are not turning back. The registration must be R200,” Mkhabela said.
He mentioned that they were not happy that the management instructed the security to close the campus gates which resulted in them picketing outside the premises.
Spokesperson for Ehlanzeni TVET Colleges in the province, Mr Mxolisi Ndzimande, said this was part of the Sasco national week strike on the issue of NSFAS and was not taking place in Barberton only, but in other higher institutions of learning.
“On the issue of the registration, the R200 is used for the registration forms and for one to start classes they must pay R1 500, which is used for our facilitators because they are from outside,” Ndzimande said.
He added that people should stop thinking that studying at TVET colleges was for free,
“That perception has to come to an end for people to think that if you are studying at our colleges, it is free of charge. We are always preaching every year that those who don’t afford to pay their fees due to their disadvantaged backgrounds or are orphans or the grandparents are the ones who are responsible to pay fees, they must go to the social workers and request a letter that is elaborating about his or her situation.”
