Vice-Chancellors call for smooth start
JOBURG - Gauteng-based vice-chancellors have appealed to all students, academic professionals, support staff and parents to do everything within their power to ensure a smooth start to the 2016 academic year.
On 18 January, in a joint briefing at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) main campus, the universities underlined the importance of tertiary education as the foremost route to empowerment for individuals, families and communities.
Vice-Chancellor of UJ, Prof. Ihron Rensburg said, “Our job, as universities, is the empowerment of the next generation of leaders for the South African economy, society and governance through academic study leading to concrete, sought-after qualifications.”
The vice-chancellors underlined their unequivocal support for the quest for access to quality higher education for all, as enshrined in the Constitution.
Wits University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Adam Habib said political parties have a particular role to play in ensuring a smooth start to the academic year. He said, “I think we all, collectively, call on political leaders to behave, to engage and show leadership to stabilise the higher education system.”
Universities across Gauteng stated that they are determined that teaching and learning should start and proceed as planned. Rensburg said that any attempt to disrupt the academic year will be rejected, as this will infringe on the rights of thousands to receive an education this year.
Universities across Gauteng have witnessed extensive damage to property from protesters. The universities have urged for such behavior to be stopped, as costs to repair damage could be used for other resources.
