UCT makes religious concessions for students
UCT has approved a 2019 academic calendar that includes the provision for “exam-free days” for religious days that fall within the examination period.
Registrar Royston Pillay said this will apply to Eid-ul-Fitr next year, which again falls within the exam period.
“For students observing Shavuot, no exams will be scheduled after 5pm on June 6, 2019.
“In addition, June 7 and 10, 2019, will be ‘exam-free days’ for students observing Shavout.
“In 2019, Diwali falls on Sunday, October 27.”
Council also approved the extension of both the examination and the study consolidation period to allow students more time to prepare for their scheduled exams, he added.
“Notwithstanding the provisions above, which the university will make every effort to realise, UCT will continue to make further provision whereby individual students who object on religious grounds to taking any examination on a day specified in the examination timetable, may apply for permission to take a deferred examination.”
UCT has previously come underfire for scheduling exams on important religious dates.
UCT’s Muslim Students’ Association advocated strongly for the university to be more tolerant after the institution conceded earlier this year that comments made by a lecturer, in response to a Muslim student’s question about examination protocols during Ramadaan, were “inappropriate and disrespectful”.
Nuhaa Soeker had e-mailed Professor John Higgins of the university’s English literature department, asking if students would be allowed to break their fast just before 6pm during a 5-7pm exam.
In response, Higgins had said: “By breaking the fast do you mean a fivecourse meal with dessert, or a small snack whose eating would disturb no one around you?
“The exam office, which runs the exams (not me!) makes no mention of this, and you would have to approach them for clarification.
“But please tell me what you see as fast-breaking (sic).”
UCT Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) current affairs head Aaliyah Vayej said, after extensive consultations with the university management, students would now not be put in a position where they needed to choose between an academic career and their spiritual and religious identity and obligations.
“My team and I are really grateful that our efforts have been successful,” said Vayej, a Master’s student.
“We have spearheaded the campaign to recognise this issue as something the university needs to take up in order to stand for its own principles of diversity, transformation and inclusion of its student populace.”