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7 June 2013 Year 23 Vol: 39
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Chaos on campus “a result of challenges”
Some exams to be rescheduled By Elmon Tshikhudo The situation remained tense at the University of Venda, following the blockading of the main entrance to the campus on Monday. The protest by almost all the students, which left all university staff locked outside the main gate, brought the university to a standstill on Monday. The situation came about when frustrated students, who could not write their exams last week, wanted an explanation from the management. Students say this was as a result of incompetent exam staff members who were not doing their work properly. They say they were shocked to arrive at exam venues, only to be told there would be no examinations. This infuriated the students, who had prepared to write the exams. The students state that those mostly affected are students at Level 3 and 4, whose papers are moderated externally. Monday’s action affected all as even those who were supposed to write internal examinations could not write. From early morning, angry students could be seen at the main gate, manning the entrance. No member of staff was allowed into the campus. Univen principal Prof Peter Mbati and his management asked to be let in, so that “constructive discussions between them and the student leadership could take place,” but they were denied entry. They were escorted to their cars by angry students, some singing protest songs and waving placards with their demands. They also escorted members of the media away. It was only after some time that a meeting was held outside the main gate, amidst deafening howls by angry students. They did not want to speak to the media either, saying it was not for public consumption but between them and the management. Responding to the situation, Univen spokesperson Mr Takalani Dzaga said the university was greatly inconvenienced by the situation. He admitted that the situation, which he said was unfortunate and could have been averted, was caused “as a result of challenges on the part of the university.
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Failed meeting ... student leaders and management during a failed meeting on Monday morning. We had a shortage of staff at the exam section and some of the exam papers were submitted late to external moderators. We were not aware of the challenge until it was too late,” he said. He said the situation was back to normal, with some students wanting to write their exams immediately. “We have instituted an urgent investigation to determine the origin of this scenario, but we can now confirm that everything is back to normal. We will have to reschedule all the affected exam papers, in
consultation with the deans and student leaders,”said Dzaga. Meanwhile, mid-year exams which were supposed to have started in Limpopo schools had to be rescheduled at some of the schools. Some say they do not have “resources to print exam papers,” while some say the department did not deliver question papers. Limpopo’s Department of Education is one of the five departments placed under administration by the national government.
Prof Peter Mbati tries to reason with some of the students before leaving in a haste after being refused entry on campus.