'NO' to cancellation of diploma in Grade R teaching course
The Issue
I am one of many aspiring teachers that applied for a Diploma in Grade R Teaching at UNISA. Our applications were accepted, our registrations were finalized and our fees were paid. We even received study materials and are currently busy with our assignments. Now we get an email from UNISA saying that if we don't upload proof of employment in Grade R by 5 April 2022 our course will be canceled. Yet when we applied, such proof of employment was never a requirement. That is why we were registered and were able to start our studies in the first place. It is so disappointing for a well known University to be incompetent in checking if students qualify or not. It is their duty to accept qualifying students.
Some of us had saved up money in order to pay for this course, or received bursaries from NSFAS. We have quit our jobs and rejected offers in order to dedicate our time to this course and now we are told that we will not be able to continue. What does UNISA expect us to do at this time of the year because most institutions are closed - even UNISA itself is closed? What does this mean for NSFAS bursary holders? Will we lose a year of funded studies to this?
According to the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Revised Policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications, in order to qualify as a Grade R teacher in South Africa you need to have either a Diploma in Grade R Teaching (like the one offered by UNISA), or a Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching. In other words, we must first obtain the Diploma offered by UNISA before we can get a job as a Grade R teacher. But UNISA wants us to provide proof of employment as a Grade R teacher in order to be able to get the Diploma. That can’t be right. The minimum entry requirement that we need to meet, according to the Revised Policy, in order to study for a Diploma in Grade R Teaching, is a Senior Certificate or a Level 4 National Certificate (Vocational) with a diploma entry endorsement or equivalent; or a Level 4 or Level 5 Certificate or Diploma in Early Childhood Development. There is no mention of proof of employment, and this is the law.
We are appealing, as students, that UNISA corrects its misunderstanding of the law and allows us to continue studying this course when we have invested our time and money. We have a passion for children and were looking forward to pursuing our studies, as well as a career in teaching.
Victory
The Issue
I am one of many aspiring teachers that applied for a Diploma in Grade R Teaching at UNISA. Our applications were accepted, our registrations were finalized and our fees were paid. We even received study materials and are currently busy with our assignments. Now we get an email from UNISA saying that if we don't upload proof of employment in Grade R by 5 April 2022 our course will be canceled. Yet when we applied, such proof of employment was never a requirement. That is why we were registered and were able to start our studies in the first place. It is so disappointing for a well known University to be incompetent in checking if students qualify or not. It is their duty to accept qualifying students.
Some of us had saved up money in order to pay for this course, or received bursaries from NSFAS. We have quit our jobs and rejected offers in order to dedicate our time to this course and now we are told that we will not be able to continue. What does UNISA expect us to do at this time of the year because most institutions are closed - even UNISA itself is closed? What does this mean for NSFAS bursary holders? Will we lose a year of funded studies to this?
According to the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Revised Policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications, in order to qualify as a Grade R teacher in South Africa you need to have either a Diploma in Grade R Teaching (like the one offered by UNISA), or a Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching. In other words, we must first obtain the Diploma offered by UNISA before we can get a job as a Grade R teacher. But UNISA wants us to provide proof of employment as a Grade R teacher in order to be able to get the Diploma. That can’t be right. The minimum entry requirement that we need to meet, according to the Revised Policy, in order to study for a Diploma in Grade R Teaching, is a Senior Certificate or a Level 4 National Certificate (Vocational) with a diploma entry endorsement or equivalent; or a Level 4 or Level 5 Certificate or Diploma in Early Childhood Development. There is no mention of proof of employment, and this is the law.
We are appealing, as students, that UNISA corrects its misunderstanding of the law and allows us to continue studying this course when we have invested our time and money. We have a passion for children and were looking forward to pursuing our studies, as well as a career in teaching.
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on 21 March 2022