Unisa students raise concerns over faulty portal, test answer sales amid administration dispute

As the battle to place the University of South Africa (Unisa) under administration continues, more and more students are speaking out about various issues – from failing because of a faulty student portal to test answers being sold, and waiting over a decade for a certificate.

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande will have to wait until the end of the month to dispute the case of an urgent interim interdict application to stop him from placing Unisa under administration.

‘Wrong subjects’

Meanwhile, a Unisa student who agreed to speak anonymously, was informed in August she wouldn’t graduate this year because she completed two wrong subjects.

ALSO READ: Nzimande serves notice to place Unisa under administration

“I am in my fourth year of studying education already. Now I have to study six months extra,” the student said.

Another student said she applied to study BA psychology in 2024 but had to withdraw her application because Unisa took too long to process the application to Nsfas.

“Suddenly I started receiving textbooks but I wasn’t even enrolled,” the student said. It took the student weeks to get in contact with Unisa to find out what was paid and what was not.

“Unisa’s admin sucks and when you eventually get to speak to someone from Unisa, they are rude,” the student said. Another student said the student portal to submit the assignments was faulty.

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“I send my assignments but it doesn’t upload and then I get 0%.”

Former Unisa student waiting for certificate

A former student said she had been waiting 13 years for her certificate to complete a customer service course. She has phoned numerous times and been told numerous times to send an e-mail. But nothing ever comes from it.

Another student said things at the university were sketchy.

“Besides the fact that they are bankrupt, as I hear, some lecturers sell assignments and exam answers and are even willing to write the tests on your behalf,” she claimed.

ALSO READ: Nzimande interdicted from placing Unisa under administration

“I can show you SMS after SMS we receive where they are willing to do it. I reported it to Unisa in June 2022 and nothing has come of it yet and it is still happening.”

A former lecturer working at Unisa said funds meant for students kept on disappearing.

“Tutor programmes are approved and the applicants never hear from the university again,” the tutor said.

Measures and channels in place

Unisa spokesperson Martin Ramotshela said all parties will meet on 27 October with the Gauteng deputy judge president regarding them being placed under administration.

Ramotshela said they had measures and channels in place for students to communicate with the university and have their queries and complaints resolved as speedily and as satisfactorily as possible.

ALSO READ: Plans to place Unisa under administration

“This includes directing such queries and/or complaints via our Student Communication and Services Centre (call centre) or the respective colleges,” he said.

Ramotshela said there were members in areas designated to address the student queries and complaints.

“On the matter of the delivery of certificates, the university initiated a project at the beginning of 2021 to ensure that all outstanding certificates for students who completed qualifications with Unisa were delivered to or collected by the students,” he said.

The spokesperson added that the university sent its graduation team to the regional campuses where the students, after being notified via several communication methods, could come and collect certificates.

ALSO READ: How would Unisa administration affect students? Department speaks

“As a matter of fact, the backlog has long been cleared,” he said.

– marizkac@citizen.co.za

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