“ Over the past week, we have observed that our online assessment system has encountered a number of unanticipated technical performance issues. MANCOSA acknowledges that assessment season is a stressful period for students, at the best of times, and that unforeseen technical issues negatively affect students’ overall experience. Notwithstanding that the majority of students have not been affected by these technical issues, it is the institution’s immediate intention to address these performance glitches so as to ensure all MANCOSA students are granted a fair opportunity to be assessed.

Given the abovementioned circumstances, MANCOSA has taken the decision to postpone the November 2021 Online Summative Assessments (OSAs) scheduled for the period of the 8th to 13 November 2021 so as to ensure that the system issues are rectified and resolved before any further assessments take place. Although this has been a difficult decision to make, we believe that the postponement is in the best interest of our students. Please note that all other scheduled OSAs will be held as per the previously communicated timetable.”

Herein lies the problem:

As a student of Mancosa for the past three years, we have been prepared for each exam. We have rolled with each of your changes, and we have done our due diligence. Indeed, Mancosa could also ensure that they are prepared with any system changes prior to our exams.

In this letter, it states that that the postponement is in the best interest of students. We as students believe that this decision is, in fact, not in our best interest. This decision impacts our livelihoods, our jobs, our families, and our planning.  Should you look at the Mancosa Facebook page, Reviews left on Hello Peter and Student WhatsApp groups; most students share this frustration.

Hello Peter: https://www.hellopeter.com/mancosa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/215517661811694/posts/5042353402461405/