Mpumalanga Department of Education gives feedback on student exchange issue in Russia
The update on the Russian/South African student exchange programme comes after the students were facing expulsion and eviction as their stipends had not been paid.
The Mpumalanga Department of Education (DoE) recently said it had made developments in the case of the financial issues of the students who are pursuing academic studies in Russia.
In October, the MEC for education, Bonakele Majuba, requested the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to assist with a probe into the Russian/South African student exchange programme. At the time, these students were facing expulsion and eviction as their stipends had not been paid.
The DoE’s spokesperson, Jasper Zwane, said, “To date, the department has successfully processed monthly stipends for all the deserving students. In addition to this, the department provided an amount for payment of accommodation.
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“The delays in the process of payments were due to the unwillingness by some universities in Russia to submit invoices for tuition directly to the department.
“The department has received invoices from the following universities: Moscow Aviation Institute (12 students, although payment of tuition for 11 students had been finalised), Saratov State Agrarian University (22 students, payment finalised for all), North Caucusus Federal University (15 students, payment for 13 finalised), Saratov State Medical University (42 students, payment for 39 has been approved for processing), Platov University (11 students, approval for payment granted for all), and Nizhny Novgorod Lobachevsky University (three students, payment for one processed).
“This means that tuition for about 105 students has been settled or is being processed for invoices received, and these students will henceforth be able to focus on their academic programmes.”
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Zwane said so far, the department was satisfied with the progress made, and is further engaging the other universities that have not yet submitted invoices, to do so.
“Furthermore, the department is engaging the universities in Russia for possible transfer of students from universities that are not willing to submit invoices, should the need arise. The SIU has been requested to conduct a forensic investigation to ensure that those who unduly benefited are identified and accounted for, in keeping with the laws of this country. The investigations are under way.”
