UCT's selection process under fire again

The University of Cape Town's controversial admissions policy, which uses the applicants race as part of its selection process, has again come under fire.

The DA Students' Organisation has rejected the race-based policy and has made submissions to a special commission set up by UCT to review the policy.

UCT applicants are deemed to be disadvantaged solely on their race.

This, according to the students' organisation, should change.

"'Disadvantage' should [instead] be identified by assessing an applicant's school background [and] socioeconomic indicators," it said.

"Students who have been afforded a good primary and secondary education, and are of middle to high socioeconomic status, should be expected to demonstrate their academic ability adequately, regardless of their race."

The organisation said that universities should play a role in achieving redress for the previously disadvantaged by working with schools to improve pass rates.

"Universities cannot be expected to compensate for 12 years of bad schooling. It is the responsibility of the primary and secondary school system to produce a fair distribution of academic ability."

Gerda Kruger, executive director for communications and marketing for UCT, said the university used applicants' voluntary disclosure of membership of a previously disadvantaged category for effecting redress "because it remains the best initial, broad-brush measure of past structural inequality.

"The university continues to work towards [the use of] alternative measures for identifying disadvantage."