Managements of most tertiary institutions dread the beginning of the academic year, as it is often accompanied by disturbing scenes of toyi-toying students.
Compared to the past years, 2006 saw few incidents of student protests across the country. But somewhere in Parktown, Johannesburg, away from the public glare, a low-key battle was brewing. Although it never exploded into the open, it left a few red faces and some frayed nerves.
Irate parents and frustrated students accused Central Johannesburg College (CJC) management of refusing to admit them because of “lack of space” even though “they met all the college’s registration procedures and requirements”.
But the school management blames this on the “misunderstanding” and, in some instances, reluctance by some parents as well as students to follow the college’s clearly stipulated registration procedures.
CJC’s deputy principal, Desmond April, outlined three stages that he said constitute a proper registration – and which most learners disregard. He said the first stage is “pre-enrolment”, where they capture crucial information about each student on the day of registration.
After this students are requested to deposit the stipulated amount into the college’s bank account. The amounts vary according to the courses.
And the final step, which April said is more crucial, is for students to return within the same day upon making the deposit to get student cards and a class allocation. Once a student has satisfied all these requirements, he or she is regarded as having properly registered, said April.
However, according to April, most students fail to come back on the same day as they make the deposit, and only return a few days later when all the space has been filled.
“Remember we cannot wait for those we are not even sure are coming back or not,” said April, adding that CJC can accommodate only 1 200 “warm bodies”. He said, however, that the college continues to register those who return with their deposit slips.
“We can only take so much with so much resources. We cannot continue to take learners, especially those doing technical courses, as this would mean they would have to share facilities. And this would not be conducive for effective learning,” said April.
A 20 year-old student, Nomvula Mbele from Soweto, is one of those who felt hard done by. Mbele, who registered for a diploma in human resources management, said she fulfilled all the requirements. “I went to the bank to make a deposit and returned to finalise other necessary paper work and was told I was accepted,” she said.
“Imagine my surprise and shock when I returned to find my name was not on the register. And the explanation I got was that the class was full. I found it particularly odd after I was made to believe I was accepted,” said Mbele.
Although she was refunded, she is bitter that the college wasted her time, as she had to hurriedly start searching for an alternative school. Mbele, who finished her matric in 2005 at Emdeni Secondary School, was forced to enroll for the same course with the Molapo campus of the South West Gauteng College in Soweto.
Mbele’s sponsor, Tiffany de Waynecourt-Steele, also expressed outrage at the manner in which the college handled her beneficiary’s registration. She said the college wasted Mbele’s time in making her believe she was admitted.
Waynecourt-Steele said that registering too many students reflects “incompetence and lack of proper planning on the part of the college’s management”. She said what made matters worse was management’s refusal to help parents who wanted clarity on the situation.
April conceded that the current registration system – where learners have to deposit money into the college’s bank account – contributes to the delays. Currently the college uses a “cash lease system”, to avoid taking cash from the public.
He said a new registration method is being investigated. He wouldn’t reveal much about the new system, but was confident it would improve matters. But even then, he feels it can only work “if you have the cooperation of parents and learners”.