Sol Plaatje must turn streetlights on for festive season
| by Delmaine Christians, MP – DA Member of the NCOP Select Committee on Education |
| Error! Filename not specified. |
| Date: 07 May 2020 |
| Release: Immediate |
| Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbites in English & Afrikaans from Delmaine Christians, MP.Although formal assessments are now just a few days away, students in the Northern Cape are still left without access to crucial study materials. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape therefore calls on premier Zamani Saul to assist the tertiary education sector with the development and subsequent implementation of express delivery programmes.Sol Plaatje University told students that materials would be delivered, but it has not yet given the assurance that deliveries will be done in time. With the sale and delivery of educational goods allowed during level four lockdown, it should be relatively easy to use courier services which can deliver study materials to students with enough time to spare before exams.Students currently do not have access to their books and memory sticks, because they were advised to leave study materials behind during the evacuation of residences in March 2020. After all, it was expected at the time that lockdown would be lifted within weeks. Anyone who has used public transport will know how impractical it is to pack all study guides and textbooks in one trip.But due to high levels of risks associated with resumption of campus-based activities, only clinical training students in their final year are now allowed to return to campuses.According to complaints received from students, it is a struggle to make arrangements with university management for access to study materials. With formal exams set to start soon, students are naturally anxious to have the books, class notes, and memory sticks they need to achieve their academic goals.Online studying cannot solve this problem. Students complain that online platforms used by TVET colleges and the university in the Northern Cape are not updated regularly. Even the Minister of Higher Education agreed during April 2020 that challenges with online studying means that students simply must be allowed access to printed materials. If students cannot be allowed to collect it themselves, there must be plans for the delivery of study materials.We also call on university management to uphold stringent access control measures when residences and common areas undergo deep cleaning. Security protocols should be in place to prevent unauthorized entry of strangers.We cannot accept that the academic dreams of our students become the latest victims in the war against the coronavirus. Books should never be locked down for students. |
Related posts