Walter Sisulu University admits it was wrong in removing 127 students last year

The Walter Sisulu University on Monday accepted responsibility for erroneously deregistering 127 students during the 2020 academic year.

The university in the Eastern Cape offered an unqualified apology to affected students and their families.

The matter came to light in November last year when the students found they had been deregistered.

In a statement on Monday, the university said a number of students were academically excluded and thus deregistered during the 2020 academic year. It said that deregistration was an acceptable practice in higher education institutions, with academic exclusion based on chronic poor performance.

But, the university said, the 127 students should not have been included in this process.

“Unfortunately, some students were erroneously academically excluded in the process. Thirty percent of the overall cohort deregistered were later reinstated,” the university said in a statement.

It said it was aware that some student financial records continued to reflect amounts due despite deregistration.

The university said this was from a system backlog caused by delays ensuing from the Covid-19 lockdown.

“The university, however, assumes full responsibility and offers an unqualified apology to affected students and their families. We assure you that the matter is under investigation and that consequence management will occur where necessary,” the statement read.

The institution said a management meeting would be held on Monday to seek solutions to the students' concerns.

“This meeting will be followed by a meeting between the university management and the institutional student representative committee [on Tuesday], where corrective recommendations will be presented and discussed.” 

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