Higher education plans remind us equality is a myth in SA

I listened to Motsweding FM, an SABC radio station based in Mahikeng, North West province, last week. Their weekday 6am to 7am shows focused on the challenges faced by university students from the villages.

Many of the callers and message senders were first-year students. The most common challenge they have is access to a strong and non-buffering network. Through this persistent problem of signal, the frustrated students spoke about how they have missed most of their lectures.

They are frustrated. They haven’t adjusted to the ways in which assessments are conducted or marked. Already they are missing lectures. Varsity culture assumes that if you don’t attend, it means you don’t want to. The onus to be in class or attend a lecture, virtual or not, is on you as a student.

That is just the tip of the iceberg. Failure to attend the virtual lecture could lead to failing to qualify for exams and subsequently failing the semester.

The frustrated students were considering deregistering from their courses because they were not coping. Others could not deregister their courses for fear of losing the fully funded bursaries they had obtained. Nevertheless, if they aren’t attending the virtual lectures and nobody is hearing their heartfelt cries, they will fail and lose their bursaries anyway.

Minister of Higher Education Dr Blade Nzimande has said, “Under level 3, a maximum of 33% of the student population will be allowed to return to campuses, delivery sites and residences on conditions that they can be safely accommodated and supported in line with the health and safety protocols as directed by the department.”

He further said: “Students in the final year of their programmes, who are on the path to graduating in 2020, may return. Final-year students who require access to laboratories, technical equipment, data, connectivity and access to residence and private accommodation should return.”

The saddest part is this: they are accommodating final-year students who are already familiar with how university studies are structured. They don’t have the anxiety of a first year. Sometimes it boggles the mind who advises the ministry of higher education.

The exit point is just as important as the entry point, but the entry point is more critical since most of the students are sailing in uncharted waters. To not consider the struggles and challenges of first-year students is to throw out the baby with the bathwater.

It is understandable that Covid-19 is a medical issue. However, there is no course that is less important than the other. Again, this brings in another issue of how we are perpetuating the regressive phenomenon of the “other”. The humanities faculty students are going to be the last in the pack to be considered.

I’m not sure what I missed, but I don’t remember hearing that universities and TVET colleges stopped their lectures. However, Nzimande was happy to announce that the students would only be getting data from June 1.

“I am pleased to announce that we have successfully negotiated with all mobile network operators very favourable rates for our NSFAS students, including the Funza Lushaka students who will receive 10GB daytime and 20GB night-time data for three months, starting from 1 June till end of August, as subsidised by government.”

What were these poor students using the whole of April and May, minister? They have been missing lectures with a lack of data and laptops. How are they going to catch up to be ready to write semester tests and then exams if they qualify?

One was hoping that first years who still have so much to adjust to, socially and academically, would be part of the 33%. The workload of first year, irrespective of course or faculty, is difficult.

You, Minister Nzimande, simply said, “In addition to the above,  institutions may also consider selected return of other categories of students to residence who may face extreme difficulties in their home learning environments…”

The address you gave inspires little hope and it shows how detached you and your whole team are from the realities of the many poor students you claim to represent and care for.

The theme you adopted says, “Save the Academic Year, Save Life.” It should have simply said, “Save the academic year for the haves and continue to disregard the lives and futures of the have-nots.”

Equality is a myth in South Africa.

Kabelo Chabalala is the founder and chairperson of the Young Men Movement (YMM), an organisation that focuses on the reconstruction of the socialisation of boys to create a new cohort of men. Email, kabelo03chabalala@gmail.com; Twitter, @KabeloJay; Facebook, Kabelo Chabalala

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