Education students at the University of Fort Hare’s East London campus have boycotted classes this morning over non-payment of their allowances.
The more than 1500 students are beneficiaries of the government bursary scheme Fundza Lushaka say the decision was part of their strategy to have the university to speed the process of allocating their allowances.
Student representative Kerry-Ann Petzer told DispatchLive that the situation was bad and students were sleeping on empty stomachs and going to school without eating.
“We have decided as the faculty that we are approaching the university so we can see if they can subsidise with fund to get food. Students are hungry and are wanting food. It is terrible conditions we are lining under,” she said.
She said every year students were facing the same struggle of allowance that they were not receiving one time.
Third-year student Athabile Qavane said the money he was getting from his parents was not enough to last him for the whole month.
“Even I do not know what I am going to eat when I get to residence and at the same time I have to concentrate of my studied. The situation we have found ourselves is very strenuous,” he said.
Another student Romario Valtyn said they were getting contradicting statements from the department of basic education and the university.
“We called the department and we were told the money has been deposited to the university, the university say they have not received the money from the department.
“There are different messages that are being communicated. First they say the money is here it just needs to be loaded again they say the list was confirmed and now they have to send the list back to the department of basic education,” he said.
Both department of basic education and the university were not available for the comment.
Fort Hare students boycott classes over allowances
Education students at the University of Fort Hare’s East London campus have boycotted classes this morning over non-payment of their allowances.
The more than 1500 students are beneficiaries of the government bursary scheme Fundza Lushaka say the decision was part of their strategy to have the university to speed the process of allocating their allowances.
Student representative Kerry-Ann Petzer told DispatchLive that the situation was bad and students were sleeping on empty stomachs and going to school without eating.
“We have decided as the faculty that we are approaching the university so we can see if they can subsidise with fund to get food. Students are hungry and are wanting food. It is terrible conditions we are lining under,” she said.
She said every year students were facing the same struggle of allowance that they were not receiving one time.
Third-year student Athabile Qavane said the money he was getting from his parents was not enough to last him for the whole month.
“Even I do not know what I am going to eat when I get to residence and at the same time I have to concentrate of my studied. The situation we have found ourselves is very strenuous,” he said.
Another student Romario Valtyn said they were getting contradicting statements from the department of basic education and the university.
“We called the department and we were told the money has been deposited to the university, the university say they have not received the money from the department.
“There are different messages that are being communicated. First they say the money is here it just needs to be loaded again they say the list was confirmed and now they have to send the list back to the department of basic education,” he said.
Both department of basic education and the university were not available for the comment.
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