Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Blade Nzimande on Wednesday announced that the intake of first-year university students for 2021 may take place later than usual.
While giving an update on the return of South Africa’s students to universities, community colleges, and other institutions of higher learning, Nzimande covered a range of topics, including transformation policies and a probe into the salaries of vice-chancellors and senior executives at public universities.
Nzimande said the end of the 2020 academic year is likely to spill over into the 2021 calendar.
Nzimande says, “As you can see now, already because of the challenges we are facing in 2020 already we are going to have pressure for the 2021 academic year so everyone, parents, students, and other stakeholders must realize that unless we cooperate unless we commit not to waste teaching and learning time, the future of our many students, thousands of them will be at stake.”
The minister said a maximum of 33 percent of the student population will be returning to university campuses and residence, on condition of guaranteed health and safety protocols.
“This 33% of the returning students will include students in the final year of their programmes who are on their path to graduating in 2020, final year students who require access to laboratories, technical equipment, data connectivity and access to residents and private accommodation, students in all years of study who require clinical training in their programmes and postgraduate students who require laboratory equipment and other technical equipment to undertake their studies, Nzimande added.
