Unisa ends links with Wellington
2008-12-11
Marguerite Lombard
THE University of South Africa (Unisa) will be closing down its satellite campus in Wellington at the end of December. The decision will affect more than 4 000 students, and hardest hit will be the ten administrative staff members working in Wellington. Some of the staff members have been working for Unisa for more than 14 years. It is not known if they will receive the benefits associated with retrenchment packages. Senior employees of Unisa were not available for comment, nor would their media officer provide any information. Administrative staff members in Pretoria and Bellville were not even aware of a campus in Wellington. It would appear that the decision was part of a rationalisation process to concentrate the Unisa facilities at the regional office in Parow. In future students will be required to register online, at the Parow campus or at local post offices. According to a spokesman for the Huguenot College, André du Toit, the college had in the past also registered its students through Unisa, and Unisa in turn made use of office space in one of the College’s buildings on Church Street. Unisa however has not renewed its contract with the College, and as from 1 January next year the satellite campus will be shut down. From 2010, the students of the College will register with the University of Stellenbosch. Part-time Unisa students are dumbstruck by the decision by Unisa to close its office. According to a fourth year law student the decision was ill-advised and prejudiced students in rural areas. “The decision discriminates against disadvantaged and marginalised people. The decision assumes that all students have access to fast internet connections to down- load study material, and credit and debit card facilities to complete online registra-
tions. “Most people who study through Unisa have day jobs, and families to take care of. It is difficult enough to complete a degree part-time. This is just another hurdle in our path. It is very disheartening.”
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