2 October 2018 | Volume 77 | Edition 9
Image by Warren Modukwe
UCT schedules exams on Diwali By Sibongile Ralana
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The task team for the religious policy proposal seek an accommodation for Diwali clashes
he task team for the religious policy proposal have sought an accommodation for Hindu students who have exams scheduled on the 6th and 7th of November. These dates will clash with Diwali, a Hindu religious observance. Aleya Banwari, a member of the task team and former Vice- Chairperson of the Hindu Students Society, says that this has been an issue for Hindu students for many years. Banwari states that the Exams Office has attempted to accommodate Hindu students by avoiding evening exams on both days of Diwali. This decision was made based on the fact that all exams on Diwali cannot be cancelled or postponed at this time. This accommodation allows Hindu students to attend evening prayers and is a compromise that has been made for this year. “This is not an ideal solution, as it still requires Hindu students who are writing earlier in the day to write an exam on a religious day of celebration,” says Banwari. The task team, which is comprised of students from different religious groups, recognises that the issue of
accommodation is a multi-faith issue and they are working on all religious clashes that come up. The task team also takes issue with the option to defer that has been given by UCT as an alternative to students who have exams that clash with a religious observance. According to Banwari, the problem with deferring exams primarily involves cost – not all students have the ability to travel back to Cape Town, pay for accommodation to write an exam, and then travel home.
This model avoids the issue of constantly asking for an exemption by making it so that the university avoids setting evaluations such as tests and exams on religious holidays VARSITY spoke to the Muslim Students Association (MSA) Head of Current Affairs, he said we feel that it is pertinent that the issue be addressed as soon as possible. It is of utmost
importance that all religious holidays are accommodated for, whether they are Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Islamic or any other religious holidays. The MSA feel that the policy needs to be amended in order to accommodate all students that attend the institution. We feel that no student or staff member should have to be forced to write or invigilate an exam on a day where they should be free to practice or celebrate their faith or religion. The task team proposes that a Positive Recognition Model be adopted by UCT in order to accommodate different religious and cultural groups at the university. This model requires UCT to be cognizant of the different religious and cultural practices of members of the UCT community when drafting policies, rules, and regulations. The university should make a reasonable effort to not set academic assessments on religious holy days. If the university has no option but to set a test or exam on a religious holy day; affected students are accommodated for and provided with a reasonable alternative i.e.
a
guaranteed right to defer. This model has been adopted at both local and international universities such as the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in Cape Town as well the London School of Economics. The model avoids issues of applying for extensions and exemptions by ensuring that no evaluations, tests or exams are set during religious holidays.
The task team recognises that the issue of accommodation is a multi-faith issue “This would essentially solve the problem of having to accommodate people” says Banwari. The task team furthermore recognises that the issue of adequate inclusivity by UCT is important in order to respect the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion which are enshrined in the Constitution.