Following protests, Wits revises registration policies
The university has made provision for undergraduate students owing less than R150,000 to register.
A handful of Wits university students with historical debt have gone on a hunger strike. Picture facebook.com/Wits University
JOHANNESBURG - Following a series of protests relating to registration matters, Wits University has revised its policies to allow more students to register.
The university has made provision for undergraduate students owing less than R150,000 to register.
Previously only students owing less than R15,000 could register.
Prior to this week, the university stipulated that only students owing less than R15,000 or those who could pay half of what they owe, could register.
Unregistered students were opposed to this rule, calling for a revision in policy.
Some students even embarked on a hunger strike calling for the university to consider allowing them to register despite their historic debt.
Wits spokesperson, Shirona Patel, said that after mass demonstrations at the university this week, the SRC and management reached an agreement.
"Management and the Wits SRC met on Thursday at which an agreement was reached. As far as resources allow and subject to approval by a joint task team that the registration of undergraduate academically deserving students with an outstanding debt of less than R150,000 would be considered," said Patel.
She added that those who had been approved for funding from the university and owed less than R150,000 would also be allowed to register.