CAPE TOWN - UCT says its executive has called for a special council meeting on Monday where a proposal to reconsider the fee block policy will be tabled.
Just two days into the start of the academic year, the academic programme was disrupted on Wednesday by protesting students led by the students representative council (SRC).
Entrances to campuses were barricaded, and the shuttle service also had to be temporarily suspended.
The SRC has raised issues related to fee blocks that prevent students with debt over a certain amount from registering at UCT, as well as issues related to the registration process.
In a statement on Thursday, UCT said they were concluding the registration of some 26 000 students.
“The UCT executive has worked extensively to engage the SRC and resolve concerns and to meet demands. We have extended the deadline for students to apply for exemption as well as the grace period for outstanding fees to be paid,” the institution said.
Students, who are awaiting the outcome of appeals, will have full access to the student online learning platform Vula as well as to lectures and tutorials.
“No student who has applied for exemption on the grounds of a fee debt will be excluded from participating in their academic programme until after the special meeting of council on February 21 to allow them to benefit from any changes agreed by council.”
“The UCT executive has called for a special council meeting where a proposal to reconsider the fee block policy will be tabled. We urge the SRC to give this process an opportunity. The SRC will be fully represented at the council meeting. Until council has met on Monday, there is no student that has been blocked from class or Vula services.”
The fee block policy at UCT does not apply to any student who qualifies for NSFAS funding but rather affects the so-called “missing middle”; students whose household income is above the threshold for NSFAS but whose circumstances make it difficult to meet the costs of higher education.
Cape Times