Memorandum from the Parliamentary Office
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 3207
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 28/08/2015
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER 34 OF 2015)
Prof B Bozzoli (DA) to ask the Minister of Higher Education and Training:
1) What is the failure rate in each subject constituting the Emergency
Medical Care and Rescue Diploma at the Central University of Technology
in the Free State;
2) have there been student protests concerning aspects of the specified
failure rate, if so, what are the relevant details of these protests;
3) is the University aware that the life of one of the lecturers (name
furnished), who is in charge of one or more of these courses has been
threatened;
4) (a) has the University received and taken cognisance of (i) a petition
requesting the specified person to be removed from the course and (ii)
numerous affidavits from signatories to that petition stating that it was
signed under false pretences and (b) is the specified person continuing
to teach the course;
5) Has the University intervened at any stage in the programme or any of
its component courses in order to alter the pass rate after these
protests; if so, what are the relevant details?
NW3808E
REPLY:
The Department does not manage the affairs of any university and the
following responses to the above questions have been obtained from the
Central University of Technology (CUT):
1) The success rate of the Emergency Medical Care (EMC) programme is
currently below 50% compared to the university average of 76%. Ten
students graduated on 4 September 2015 with the Diploma in EMC with 87
students at years two and three levels in the programme.
2) No student protests have occurred, however some of the students reported
the challenges experienced in the programme to the media. The Deputy Vice
Chancellor: Academic and Research, Acting Dean and Head of Department
(HOD) engaged with the students and staff to discuss and put strategies
in place to address the concerns raised by students and staff.
3) Yes, the university is aware that the life of Mr RG Campbell, one of the
lecturers in charge of one or more of these courses, has been threatened.
The University has put processes in place to deal with the matter
according to its internal policies.
4) Yes, the university took cognisance of this petition and alleged false
pretences. The Dean, HOD and Director of Human Resources have had several
engagements with the particular staff member and students. This matter
has been resolved and the lecturer has continued lecturing from July
2015.
5) The following interventions were implemented by the university during
2014/15:
⢠A task team was established to monitor the EMC programme at a
strategic level for the period January to June 2015;
⢠Accreditation by the Professional Board for Emergency Care;
⢠Appointment of an Internal Review Panel;
⢠Improvement of the staffing situation in the EMC programme;
⢠Strengthening of student academic support;
⢠Increase in the effectiveness and efficiency of the Work-Integrated
Learning programme to ensure that sufficient placement opportunities
for students are secured;
⢠Improvement in communication structures;
⢠Regular meetings between CUT and the Professional Board;
⢠Interventions by Senate; and
⢠Regular interventions by university management.
Compiler/Contact persons:
Extension:
DIRECTOR â GENERAL
STATUS:
DATE:
REPLY TO QUESTION 3207 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED
Dr BE NZIMANDE, MP
MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
STATUS:
DATE:
