The statement said “NMMU acknowledges that the campaign for free higher education for all is a noble cause, but it is a national policy issue beyond the authority of any individual university. While NMMU does not have the mandate to pronounce on this matter, it will deploy resources to engage in research and conduct dialogues that will hopefully inform the national roadmap towards the realisation of free higher education for all.
Until such time, the university remains resolute in its call for free higher education for the poor and financial support for the so-called ‘missing middle’ students.”
During the shutdown, management met with various student formations to ensure that the university-specific demands were addressed. There are however two outstanding issues which remain namely:
• The national call for free, quality, decolonised higher education; and
• The clearance of all debt for students who qualified for debt and down-payment relief in 2016.
On Tuesday 11 October, in response to legal action brought by some parents seeking to compel the University to re-open, NMMU agreed to a court-mandated mediation process. Unfortunately, this process was inconclusive for reasons beyond the control of the university.
After careful consideration management decided to seek an interdict. By means of this interdict, as well as the agreements reached with the various student formations during the shutdown, NMMU is still seeking and hopeful for a peaceful resumption of the 2016 academic year.
Due to the critical need to return to class in order to complete the academic year in 2016, the university will re-open on Monday 17 October with the return of all staff so that the necessary preparations can be made for the resumption of all academic activities on Tuesday 18 October.
During the shutdown, staff worked tirelessly to develop student-friendly academic recovery plans to ensure that the academic year can be completed in 2016.
Residence students who went home during the shutdown are encouraged to start returning to the campus as soon as possible. The regular timetable will be followed from Tuesday 18 October when all students are expected to return to class.
An adapted academic calendar has been approved in principle by the executive committee of Senate. The calendar assumes that, with classes starting on Tuesday 18 October, lectures will continue for about four weeks to complete the academic programme, followed by three study days before an examination period of about three weeks.
Since the examination timetable originally ended on 16 November, the university is working on a recovery plan to assist those students whose off-campus accommodation leases expire at the end of November, or even earlier.
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