Nursing students boycott class over non-payment of bursary money

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Nursing students boycott class over non-payment of bursary money
Nursing students boycott class over non-payment of bursary money

Africa-PressSouth-Africa. Cape Town – Disgruntled nursing students from the Western Cape College of Nursing (WCCN) have boycotted their classes until the matter of non-payment of their bursaries has been resolved.

Metro West SRC chairperson Justice Khoza said the students had become wary of the decisions taken by the WCCN management which in most cases seemed to not have the best interest for the students at heart.

Khoza said the bursary money was paid into the WCCN account in March by the provincial government, however, it has been a “mountainous task” to pay the students what was due to them.

“The management contradicts themselves in saying that the WCCN is not responsible for the payment but is responsible for the determination of the dates to pay the students. The students fail to understand why a date stipulated on June 11, 2021 changes overnight like that.

“Most of the students reiterated that they have exhausted their financial resources and must buy books since the academic year has started. Most of them who stay off campus use public transport to get to campus for lectures and currently it has become difficult due to lack of funds to get to campus,” said Khoza.

Khoza said the students no longer wanted the provincial government to deposit their bursary amounts into the college’s accounts but directly to them.

“It seems the management’s intention is to keep the money in the bank to accumulate interest fees. They call for a discussion on the matter and to have only fees that are due to college be sent to college and their due change,” he said.

WCCN human resource chief director Bernadette Arries failed to respond to the email sent to her by the time of deadline. However, in response to the students’ grievances sent last week acting director Theresa Bock said the bursary process was independent of the WCCN and that it was dealt with by the bursary departments.

Bock said WCCN submitted all verification details of students to the bursary department and that there were delays by some students to submit the banking details which delayed the processes.

She said the responsibility of the college was to verify student pass rates, registration and confirmation of students in residence and this was submitted to the bursary department.

Bock said the director’s office, and all heads of campuses and student matters will call an executive senate meeting to discuss the students’ concerns.

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Cape Argus

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