ListEof firsstt-uydeeanrtstduedmeanntds

MANZINI - On Tuesday, University of Eswatini (UNESWA) students delivered a petition to the administration on issues of scholarship, results and failed courses.

The petition was delivered to the UNESWA Kwaluseni Campus in the afternoon. According to outgoing UNESWA Student Representative Council (SRC) Secretary General Zethu Mbingo, they wished the university to furnish them with the scholarship list of first-year students.

She mentioned that the first-year students had resumed courses but were still in the dark regarding whether or not they got scholarships. As a result, they demanded the university to provide the list of students who were awarded scholarships.

Worth noting is that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is responsible for issuing scholarships. Recently, the Minister for the substantive ministry, Phila Buthelezi announced that an additional 1 000 scholarships would be awarded to students, who had been interviewed and found to meet the selection criteria, but were not initially awarded due to the limited quota (2 500).

Awarded

During a press conference at Sibane Sami Hotel on Monday, the minister said the 1 000 scholarships would be distributed evenly among those local tertiary institutions that fell below their normal quota allocations. He said students, who would be awarded the scholarship, would be contacted by the ministry before the end of the week.

Meanwhile, Mbingo further mentioned that results for the students were not released. She added that students could not afford to pay for their failed courses, and wanted the university to cater for the failed courses.

“We do not have money, hence we cannot pay for our fees,” said Mbingo.

When drawn for comment, UNESWA Registrar Dr Salebona Simelane confirmed that the university received the petition.

“Yes, we received the petition but it would not be prudent to state what its contents are prior to Senate’s deliberation on same,” Simelane said.