Time running out as exams loom

LEARNING and teaching at the Northern Cape Urban TVET College has been plunged into chaos due to protest action, where concerns have been raised over the upcoming first semester examinations.

Lecturers at the college have been sent home early on most days due to protests at the entrances of the campuses.

While the college opened for the academic year on January 7, the first two weeks were spent on registering students. Since then lectures have only taken place on a handful of days.

On the days when lectures could continue, only a handful of students attended classes, the majority staying away out of fear of intimidation.

With little more than 30 days left this semester, concern has been expressed about whether lecturers will be able to complete the prescribed syllabus for the six-month semester. Some lecturers have stated that it will be impossible to finish the required work. “Term ends on March 15 and by this date we should have completed more than half of the work, as well as done the necessary tests and assignments. Exams start on May 20 and time should also be set aside for revision. Time is running out.”

In the engineering faculty, students are supposed to write their first trimester examinations next month.

Meanwhile, students have also been unable to write their National Certificate Vocational (NCV) exams at the college this month.

Some of the lecturers have indicated that they will embark on a go-slow.

“We would all like to return to learning and teaching as soon as possible but the conditions make it impossible. The entire college council must be dissolved and the college should be put under the administration of the Department of Higher Education.”

Students pointed out that classes had been disrupted since January 14.

“We are beneficiaries of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. How can we be expected to also pay the legal fees of the interdict?”

The Northern Cape premier had last week indicated that a delegation from the Department of Higher Education would visit the Province to intervene in the crisis at the college.

The spokesperson for the Premier’s Office, Bronwyn Thomas-abrahams, said the Department of Higher Education had not yet briefed the premier on the outcome of the meeting.