Students want new accountancy lecturers
ACCOUNTING students from the University of Fort Hare are demanding new lecturers.
This was one of many demands in a memorandum handed over to university management yesterday by about 50 students who marched from their Quigney residence to the institution’s East London campus.
In the memorandum, received by deputy head of department Wendy Terblanche, students demanded:
● Departmental rules apply to putting an end to favouritism;
● Better facilitation of the Fasset programme, meant to assist academically struggling students, which is currently consuming too much of the students’ time;
● Diversification of lecturers include more black lecturers;
● The majority of academic trainees should be former UFH students, as they have a better understanding of the system rather than external trainees;
● Transparency in mark discussion meetings; and
● External marking
Second-, third- and fourth-year students took part in the march.
The students, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation
and
all,
to
moderation. from lecturers, accused lecturers of pushing certain students through, while others were left to struggle.
According to the students, white students finished the four-year course in time, while black students averaged about seven years to complete it.
“We think this is because white students are pushed through. They never fail or have to repeat anything.
“If this continues then there will never be any black chartered accountants in the country,” he said.
Other students accused their lecturers of being unqualified.
“Most of our lecturers are just not suited to this job.
“We currently have an issue with our second-year accounting lecturer.
“She lacks passion and is not able to answer even basic questions we ask her,” one student said.
“Second year is our most crucial year because that is where we are introduced to subjects such as tax and auditing.”
UFH spokeswoman Zintle Filtane confirmed the university had received the memorandum.
“Faculty management met with students today to obtain clarity on the issues raised by the students.
“Discussions will continue tomorrow on the issues raised,” she said.