Swazi Observer

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TERTIARY STUDENTS REFUSE TO SIGN SCHOLARSHIP ADDENDUM FORM

By Sifiso Dlamini | 2019-09-17

BARELY three days after resumption of classes in the country’s tertiary institutions, students and their parents or guardians yesterday refused to sign the scholarship agreement addendum form.

Only last week, students were forced into signing the re-admission commitment forms which dealt mainly with how they were going to behave themselves whilst at the institutions or risk being expelled. In fear of being expelled, students signed the form.

Yesterday, it was government’s turn, where all students who had been granted scholarship were to come with their parents or guardians to sign the scholarship agreement addendum form at the UNISWA Sports Emporium.

This time students, supported by their parents or guardians refused to sign the form until certain critical areas were clarified.

Unfortunately, the ministry of labour and social security senior officials with authority to speak or answer to questions were not on the ground to explain the issues that made students and their guardians to refuse signing the addendum form.

One of the issues students and parents alike wanted explained or which was not included in the form was the amount of money they would receive as their personal allowances.

They said what annoyed them the most was that they would be liable to repay the money on completion of their studies.

Students Representative Council, Luyengo Campus Chairperson Siphiwesihle Lulane said they were disappointed with the government scholarship form as the increased amount proposed by government (E1 690 per month) was not indicated in the forms.

He said in the previous form the students signed, the figure for their meal and personal allowance was indicated and the only figures that were not indicated were the book allowance and the tuition fee.

They argued that what government was doing was unclear and in direct violation of the previous contract they had signed. “In the old form, government indicated that before any change was effected with regards to their allowances, the students would be engaged and would come to an agreement with it before the beginning of a new academic year,” he said.

He also stated this was not the case as government informed them of the desire to change the amount as well as the form of distribution of their allowances without their consent.

He added the SRC approached government with regards to the changes and government responded with an increased offer which was too good to be true considering the current financial situation in the country.

The students who were getting agitated demanded the ministry representatives to leave the campus as they would not sign anything.

Surpported

They were also supported by their parents who were also agitated as they had been made to wait for three hours before the representatives arrived at the campus. A student from the Luyengo campus said they were not happy with the whole situation as they were expected to perform academically while under duress and unfavourable conditions.

“Our stance is that we are not going to sign the form until government furnishes us with one that clearly states the amount we would receive as our personal allowance for both off campus and in campus students,” said the student.

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