everal Lupane State University (LSU) students may have to repeat the academic year after the university denied them the opportunity to write their final examinations as they had not fully paid their fees.
The university took a firm stance that only those who are
permitted to write their examinations must be registered, meaning they must
have paid their tuition fees in full.
Students who spoke to CITE, on condition of anonymity out
of fear of victimisation, confirmed that they failed to write their final exams
last week as the institution demanded full payment of fees, which they could
not afford to pay at that particular time.
“I did not write the exams because at the examination
venue, lecturers were asking for our student numbers to check if we had paid or
not. I was told I owe the university ZWL$218 000 and that I could not write the
exams. I was chased out of the venue even though I begged to be let inside. I
didn’t have any money with me at that moment,” said the student who, with other
affected students, was left pained by the university’s decision.
Students said LSU wanted them to pay 80 percent of fees
before examinations commenced and if they failed to do so, they would not write
them, which meant a ‘fail’ and having to wait until the next semester to repeat
the module.
“The challenge of missing examinations is that the module
you did not write will not be part of the modules taught in the next
semester. There is however a special
examination that is in July but the Head of Department said we cannot write the
modules we missed under that facility because the special examination
accommodates those who missed exams if they were sick,” said another student.
“So if we do not write in July we are not sure if we are
going to graduate this year, as results for September are published next year,”
added the student.
Another student said the university’s decision was unfair
as not everyone could afford to raise fees in one go.
“This will affect my academic results because I was
supposed to graduate this year. Now I am not sure if the university will allow
us to write the special exams in July,” said the student.
Reached for comment, LSU Director of Marketing and Public
Relations, Zwelithini Dlamini, said students knew they had to be registered for
them to write examinations.
“Only registered students are bona fide students of Lupane
State University and therefore are allowed to sit into the examination venues.
Those that have not registered are not allowed to sit for examinations as they
are not part of the University community,” Dlamini said.
Dlamini stated that the barring of non-registered students
is a control measure to make sure those who are not registered, do not sit for
exams.
“The barring of non-registered students is a control
measure to eliminate unknown elements from infiltrating the examination
process,” he said.
The university spokesperson claimed LSU had a work-for-fees
programme for students who have financial challenges.
“Please note that the University also has a work-for-fees
programme whereby students who have financial challenges are assigned manual
work in exchange for the payment of fees. They are also given some money for
their sustenance,” Dlamini said. CITE
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