Between last-minute exam preparations and anticipation of the summer break, students and staff at the University of Venda (Univen) are dealing with an irritating but nonetheless welcome source of interruption — noise from pick-axes, drills and grinders.
Situated in the rolling green hills of Thoyohandou, Univen serves the surrounding impoverished villages. Since its inception in 1982 it has, for many, been the only hope of escaping the talons of poverty. But it was a dump. Until recently, students attended lectures in dilapidated lecture halls with limited learning resources. They were accommodated in neglected student residences, sometimes without running water and proper sanitation, typical of an apartheid bush college.
The university was established to cater for 5Â 500 students but numbers grew to 11Â 600, resulting in overcrowding. Rumours abound that there were sometimes six students to a room, making for cramped learning conditions.
‘Between 2004 and 2005 the residences were falling apart. Windows and doors were broken and the drains were blocked,†says Univen registrar Khuliso Nemadzivhanani. ‘At some point you’d find students attending lessons outside because the lecture halls were falling apart.â€
However, Univen spokesperson Dzuguda Rufus Kharidzha describes the institution as a home for financially struggling students and the surrounding community. He says most Univen students live at home with their parents, where discipline and a hunger for knowledge are honed. ‘That’s why we have never had problems such as demonstrations by disgruntled students. Univen students are driven by an insatiable hunger for knowledge, which in turn overrides the difficulties and poverty they are facing.â€
Second-year media studies student Shonisani Phaswana says students from other institutions have claimed that Univen offers second-rate qualifications. ‘All I want to say to them is that we are here because we know what we want and that no one is better than the other. Anyway, here in Venda we are committed to our studies and have no time to fool around,†she says.
In 2006 the education ministry committed itself to improving the standards of learning and living on campus and it has, over a three-year period, committed more than R400-million to improving the campus. The allocation is part of the department’s overall R5,95-billion budget boost for universities from the period 2002/03 to 2006/07 and 2007 to 2010 for recapitalisation and targeted initiatives to improve graduate output.
In 2006 the ministry adopted a R160-million recovery plan for restructuring the university’s information communication and technology management, and for the renovation of buildings. About 440 new Pentium 4 computers were installed in student laboratories and two new computer laboratories were established.
Earlier this year R207-million was put aside to increase Univen’s carrying capacity from the traditional 5Â 500 to 11Â 000 students. This will be reduced to 10Â 000 by 2010, in line with the department’s enrolment plans. Seating capacity in some lecture theatres has been increased by at least 43% and 11 student residences have been fully refurbished. Six new prefabricated residences have been completed and provide accommodation for 378 students. Science laboratories are being renovated and the library has been fully refurbished. Next year, a further R42-million will be channelled into converting Univen into a comprehensive university, offering degree and diploma qualifications.
‘When I was appointed acting vice-chancellor in July 2005, we approached the minister [Naledi Pandor] and told her about our situation. She promised to help and she has done that. The minister moved quickly,†says acting vice chancellor Jim Leatt.
However, funding from the government seems not to be enough to upgrade the university. ‘We never thought the money would be enough and because of that we have come up with a capital campaign to raise funds [through the University of Venda Foundation],†Leatt says.
The university’s capital campaign, which uses chancellor Cyril Ramaphosa as a figurehead, will raise R1-billion for infrastructural development. Leatt says the money will be channelled to four projects.
The first is to build a new health sciences and education building; the second to attract and retain good academic staff; the third to improve research infrastructure; and fourth, the university wants to create an endowment fund to further develop the institution.
Univen says the money will be raised through its foundation, which is headed by businessman Mashudu Ramano.