More medical schools needed, says Zweli Mkhize
South Africa built more medical schools, there would be no need for the controversial race-based admission policies — at least for medical students.
This was the view expressed by KwaZulu-Natal premier Zweli Mkhize during the Hindu Leader’s Summit in Durban on Tuesday evening. He was addressing more than 100 Hindu cultural and religious leaders at the event convened to discuss social issues affecting the South African Hindu community.
The comment was in response to a statement made by Pramda Ramasar, a retired social worker and academic.
Ramasar said “the wrongful application of the affirmative action policy” disadvantaged deserving youth “with total disregard to merit” of the opportunity to pursue the socially valuable careers for which they were suited. This happened “at grossly inflated costs to parents having to take alternative routes to tertiary education for their children”.
Mkhize said candidates across different races complained about the issue.
“I believe we need a lot more universities,” he said.
Ramasar also spoke of a need for greater active inclusion of all youth in the mandate of the National Youth Development Agency, as they face similar social issues.
South African Committee of Health Sciences, Dental and Medical Deans (SACOHSD) chairman Sabiha Essack, agreed that additional medical schools would help alleviate the problem.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal academic said “there are many more eligible applicants than there are spaces for students” in medical schools countrywide.
Essack added that there are not enough hospitals and a shortage of skilled personnel in the field under whom a greater number of medical students could do their practical work experience — even if more candidates were to be placed at medical schools.
“There are many factors that determine how many students we can take without compromising on the quality of the skills we impart to them.”
She said more funding and facilities “are needed for health sciences education”. She proposed the formation of private medical schools, as none, besides nursing schools, exist.
“We should really interrogate the possibility of getting outside investment.”