This year has been nothing but challenging as far as being a student at Varsity College is concerned.

I understand every institution has its problems but the problems we’ve experienced as a group this year goes beyond all of us.

We’ve done nothing but respect and work with Varsity College, but in all of this, we have been shot down.

This year we’ve experienced nothing but chaos, disruption and disorganisation which in turn has impacted so many students in so many different ways.

I chose to study with Varsity College because the assumption is that private institutions are more well equipped and can handle problems in a more efficient space than public institutions but this seem to not be the case.

We’re paying for a service and not receiving it which only adds to the frustration.

As a group, we have experienced time and time again, a process of inadequate communication and deadlines that will not deliver optimal results. Our marks received for our second assignment of this module were lacklustre for our group as a whole. This module in general is a very difficult module, and from previous experience with other institutions, this module is often assessed in a summative manner. What makes Varsity College any different?

Furthermore, we are expected to write this module, as part time students and full time employees, on campus as a closed book exam, while having to write accounting, a module that requires just as must attention just before. As students, at Varsity College, we feel that we have not been given sufficient time to prepare. In addition to this, previous years wrote this exam as a take-home exam which is very similar if not the same as a summative assessment. How is this fair?

We are also part-time students and do not all have the opportunity to take leave for extended periods to completely understand and apply content for this module as a closed book exam as our organisations will not allow such. As a part-time student, flexibility in assessment should be allowed to guarantee the best possible outcome. The likes of institutions like UJ, UCT and other institutions facilitate assessments online, and Varsity College has done this before, so why can this not be done again?

Additionally, when Varsity College makes a change, students and paying customers are expected to suddenly adapt and endure consequences that come with that without prior notice, so what makes our current challenges any different?

We are asking for assistance and we are not being heard.

We are humbly requesting that Varisty College consider us in all of this and request either an extension to make the pressure more manageable or change this assessment to a take home exam or summative assessment task.

Given how we feel as students, and the lack of justice and further lack of fairness, we are turning to this platform to petition for what is fair, right and just.

At this rate, we will be falling into a trap of having to repeat modules unnecessarily which only delays academic progression and becomes further demotivating with additional financial burden.

Ultimately, this is completely unacceptable, and have severe consequences for students and Varsity College because an image is at stake. 

I for one want to advocate a positive image for Varsity College and offer good word of mouth to promote the brand but if the brand does not deliver its promised and intended service then I cannot do so. It would not be ethical and we do not feel supported.

We are pleading with the organisation for assistance, therefore we are preparing this petition in hope that us as students will be heard.