Cape Town - Education faculty students from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s (CPUT) Mowbray campus are planning to march peacefully to the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) offices after their bursary funds were cut without warning.
The students say they are tired of waiting on the DBE for answers over why their funds, which are bound by contract, were cut by nearly R20000.
Their main worry is that their student accounts have already racked up an amount that they would now have to pay back.
Students who spoke to Cape Argus on condition of anonymity explained that the DBE teaching bursary, which usually covers accommodation, travelling, living allowance, books and teaching practice has been their saving grace for years.
“With this money, we could comfortably pay for our books, tuition, teaching practice and stationery. You usually apply and by May you get an approval. In June you sign the contracts and by end June/July you receive the money,” a third-year student said.
However, by the end of July, they still had not been paid, and started enquiring.
Another student said they were informed by the university that the DBE would no longer cover accommodation, travel or living expenses for students living in residence.
“All we were told is that there would be a budget cut; they didn’t give us a breakdown.
“We’ve been asking the university and the DBE but no one has answers. I mean, we’d understand if it was mentioned in the contract, but it wasn’t.
“They had eight months to communicate with us since the beginning of this process but they didn’t; they still gave us our contracts and watched us sign while they knew this.
“Then again, we don’t know who to believe, because we are being left in the dark.”
Another final-year teaching student said they do not want to cause havoc, especially with their final exams coming up.
“The march is to hand over a memorandum because nobody communicated with us.
“On Thursday (August 8) we just received a message to say a portion of the bursary was paid, now most of us are sitting in debt of over R20 000.”
In the memorandum the students are calling for clarity and demanding a resolution.
The students will be at the campus at 10.30am today and march to the DBE’s office where the memo will be handed over.
CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley said the student finance department was in discussion with NSFAS, the DBE and the administrators of the Funza Lushaka bursary to get clarity on proposed amendments to the criteria for the disbursement of funds.
“We recently received information on the administrators’ intention to change the criteria for what they will be funding.
“This affects education students at not just CPUT, but at most other universities where education is being offered,” Kansley said.
“Understandably, it has caused some anxiety with students, but we have urged them to remain calm and any updates on the discussions will be communicated to them when they become available,” she added.
The DBE did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za
Cape Argus