KWALUSENI: The University of Eswatini which is currently closed due to students’ protests to demand scholarship allowances should have opened this week. But it can’t, because the institution has lurched forward, into another crisis. Lecturers and other university staff are now on strike.
In addition, water has been cut at the institution due to arrears.
The Association of Lecturers and Academic Personnel (ALAP) has issued the university administration with a notice to withdraw services over access to medical aid. ALAP Secretary Dr. Mduduzi Shongwe described access to medical aid as a non-negotiable matter of “life and death.”
“Medical aid is a benefit that forms part of staff terms of employment that provides for the employer to contribute 50% and staff the other 50%. While the university has deducted the 50% contribution from staff salaries, the deductions have not been passed to the medical insurance company, Swazi Med. As a result, Swazi Med suspended medical aid to staff. Though access was restored in January 2024 following negotiations, the university had again failed to pay subscriptions. This forced staff to go to court seeking an order compelling the employer to forward deductions to the insurer. The case has dragged and not heard between March and August 2024.
“This matter continues to drag yet it’s a seriously matter of life and death that affects not only staff but our spouses; our children and our parents,” Dr. Shongwe stated.
“On 11 October we gave the university an ultimatum to either reinstate our medical aid, failing which we go on strike.
Dr. Shongwe said university has made tried to make arrangements with health service providers to accept letters of assurance to pay. These letters are issued by the university. ”However this has not worked because though medical service providers accepted these letters, its not a practical arrangement because medical emergencies can occur at anytime, even during the night when it is not possible to get the letter.
The university, Dr. Shongwe said, has too many problems. He said it is unable to pay gratuity to its staff, has no working equipment, is unable to pay research allowances and a host of other problems.
Even if staff were not on strike, the university would still not re-open because it is currently experiencing a new problem.
Acting UNESWA Registrar Richard Masuku said the university has no water. “We owe the water services provider and were cut off since Tuesday. We therefore cannot recall students without water. We will decide when the university will re-open as soon as this problem is resolved.”
Earlier on, a representative of students, Sibusiso Gwebu expressed confidence that since the majority of students had received scholarship allowances, they were anxiously anticipating a recall to resume studies. “The Ministry has explained that the process of disbursing allowances continues. Indeed, we are aware of many students who have received the money. For off-campus students, this has enabled them to pay the most important debt – rent. Students have lots of debt. We are happy that now that some students have money, they will be able to support those who are yet to receive with loans”, he said.
“Even though we took a collective decision not to return to class until everyone has received their allowance, we appreciate the communication from the ministry of labour that they are actively disbursing allowances. The majority have now received their allowances, and since majority rules, I can confidently say we are ready to resume learning. Closure is a great inconvenience to us especially since university has already stated that it will not change the university calendar and will not postpone exams. Even though learning continues online, its not the same it’s not as effective.”
Another important worry for student leaders is the large number of students that are still unregistered because they owe the university. “About three thousand students are not registered. Though we don’t know the reasons, some have transferred, sow are owing, some are sick, but most owe the university and cannot register until they clear the arrears.”
Mr. Gwebu said though most have missed the 30 September deadline, student body leaders have approached the university for an extension of the registration window.
The Registrar said though they have received the request for extension, it is still to be taken to senate for decision.
“While we must be flexible, as a general rule it does not work if we continue extending the registration deadline since this disturbs a lot of other processes that are then delayed,” he said.
The university has been associated with crises now for almost the past 20 years during which it opens and closes due to student protests, strikes and financial difficulties. A commission of inquiry is currently sitting to seek an understanding of the nature of the institution’s problems and how it can be helped.
Jm/today/21.10.2024.
