The South African Union of Students SAUS Presentation

The South African Union of Students (SAUS) Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science & Technology on Measures Implemented by Universities Towards Saving the 2020 Academic Year. 24 June 2020

Introduction • SAUS prepared a document titled “The Students Response Strategy to Covid-19”. • Students are represented by SAUS in the PSET Ministerial task team on Covid-19. • SAUS met with the Minister’s delegation to discuss some of the outstanding issues in the sector. • SAUS facilitated a meeting between SRCs and Higher Health on health protocols. • Prior to this portfolio committee meeting SAUS consulted all SRC Presidents and SGs to solicit their views on this matter.

Background (1) • COVID-19 disrupted teaching, learning and research. • Covid-19 led to postponement of important activities such as graduations and registration. • Covid-19 exposed existing inequalities between the HDIs and HWIs. • COVID-19 ascertained the supremacy of technology.

Background (2) • Covid-19 weakened student activism and led to the postponement of SRC elections • Covid-19 exposed more deeply the consequences of institutional autonomy. • Covid-19 led to an immediate change in the delivery methodology. • Universities and colleges managed to save costs of traveling , catering, electricity etc. • Covid-19 deepened the mental health crisis.

The Phased-in Return of Students • SRC members were consulted by university management in identifying the 33% of students except CUT & UNISA, (UNIZULU do not have SRC) • Most SRC members are part of the COVID-19 task teams in their universities preparing for the phased-in return of students (except CPUT & UNISA SRCs) • The return of students started in some universities e. g. NWU, UFS & WITS all 33% are already in campus, whilst UJ , SU, MUT, Rhodes, CPUT, UCT, UWC & NMU started with certain cohorts. • Most Universities are yet to commence with the return of students e. g. UKZN will start on the 29 th of June, UNISA not clear, UL on the 29 th of June, SPU on the 26 th of June, UFH on the 1 st of July, UMP on the 29 th of June, SU on the 1 st of July. • Some universities have not issued permits to the 33% students and travelling difficulties are also noted e. g. WSU & UFH students not a single one of the 33% received a permit yet to travel.

Devices and Connectivity • • • Some students are receiving data and laptops e. g. UKZN almost all first years received laptops and at SPU all students are covered on Laptops; UJ, UCT , WITS, NMU, Rhodes provided laptops & data, SU all students who requested laptops received them. Most universities have not provided students with data e. g. MUT & UMP Most universities have not provided students with laptops e. g. UNISA, UFH & CPUT. Inadequate laptops and data was cited e. g. at UL only 12 k out of 22 k students received laptops, WITS only 5 k laptops were distributed, UFS only 3500 laptops were procured. UWC only 50% of the students who requested laptops received them. NWU some students are still waiting & at WSU 7000 students are not sure if they will receive laptops. Online learning commenced in all universities e. g. at UCT online learning started on the 20 th of April 2020, but UMP SRC took a stance to boycott online learning until laptops are distributed to all students. Connectivity remains a challenge for many students because data distribution is very slow, inefficient & inconsistent (e. g. SPU students have not received data for last month), Zero rated learning sites announced to be free are not accessible e. g. (UFS global protect app), UL, WITS & UJ complained about limited sites.

Health and Safety Measures (1) • We asked universities to allow SRC members to return to campus earlier to monitor the level of preparedness. • Most institutions are ready for the return of students , residences undergone deep cleaning and disinfecting. • Some universities will take students into a compulsory 14 day quarantine e. g. UCT. • Progress is slow in terms of deep cleaning at MUT. • Residence rules are amended e. g. so that students are not allowed to visit each other. • Cleaning staff and residence securities have been provided with PPEs. • Universities are making their own PPEs and Students are part of the people helping with manufacturing of sanitizers and masks in universities, CPUT purchased 22000 PPEs for students.

Health and Safety Measures (2) • Campus shuttles & transportation to clinical sites undergone disinfecting & sterilization. • Libraries have been fumigated and re-opened. • Students with underlying conditions or comorbidities are not forced back to campus and measures are being put in place for them to finish their studies. • Students who are returning are being screened thoroughly. • Compulsory health protocols are in place such as the compulsory wearing of masks etc.

Conclusion and Recommendations (1) • We recommend that academic exclusion be suspended for all institutions for the 2020 academic year due to the impact of Covid-19 (Stellenbosch university already took this decision). • Universities must allow all SRC members back on campus and include them in all task teams( e. g. UCT & WSU management are refusing to allow SRC back to campus) • UNISA must be included in all these interventions that other university students are receiving. • For E-Learning to thrive universities must be more efficient in distributing laptops and data to students. • We recommend a waiver of the N+2 rule for the 2020 academic year due to the impact of Covid-19

Conclusion and Recommendations (2) • • • Re-configuration of the fee structure( residences costs and distance learning cost variations). Self-funded students must be allowed an option to de-register residences e. g. NMU cash paying students are being denied that option. Universities must allow students with special cases at their homes to return as part of the 33% e. g. at UMP 37 students with special cases are being denied to return to campus. All students must continue receiving their allowances fairly without prejudice e. g. UFS Qwaqwa campus are being denied their accommodation allowances & UNIVEN is deducting the money for data from monthly NSFAS living allowances of the students. MUT discontinued payment of allowances for Semester students. Identify one residence as a quarantine facility for students instead of returning them back home. Some SRCs such as CUT and UL re-prioritised a portion of their SRC budget towards the fight against Covid-19, we have recommended other SRCs to do so as well.

Conclusion and Recommendations (3) • • • We recommend that the portfolio committee make VCs more accountable because internal stakeholders are being undermined considering current Covid-19 conditions that do not allow effective activism and mobilization. We recommend digital infrastructure development and government subsidization of data. Methods of assessment and online tests must be remodelled to ensure that quality is not compromised. The Minister and Deputy Minister must not visit universities and colleges alone to check state of readiness, but must visit together with other stakeholders such as this portfolio committee, students, and labour unions so as to create a collective view of the state of readiness without bias. We recommend that this portfolio committee give time-frames to NSFAS for the procurement of laptops to be expedited, because without that Laptops will arrive in December. Whilst we agree with notion to save the academic year and save lives, we recommend that other university activities must commence e. g. non-contact university sporting activities etc.

Thank you