Durban - While the Department of Higher Education and Training has given its assurance that the late release of matric results will not affect the state of readiness for the 2023 academic year, at least one KwaZulu-Natal university said registration for first-years would have to be processed in a two-week period.
Quality assurance council Umalusi said the late release of matric results was due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which had affected the school calendar.
Noxolo Memela, a communications manager at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), said the delay in releasing the results had affected the time frame for registration.
“It will only allow us to have two weeks to complete the 2023 first-year registration, which will be between Monday, January 23 and February 3.”
Memela added that lectures at DUT were scheduled to commence on Monday, February 6.
“DUT is not taking walk-ins. Registrations will be online. DUT is also happy to introduce its new programme: Bachelor of Information and Communications Technology in Internet of Things at the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics. Applicants will need to meet the minimum requirements.”
Dr Azwi Mufamadi, of the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), said the registration of new students was scheduled to start on January 29.
“It is hard to say if the late release of matric results will have an impact on our registration processes because it all depends on how quickly prospective students accept our offers. On MUT’s side, the selectors are on standby to extend offers to prospective students, who have applied to the university and meet the requirements, as soon as the results are out.”
Normah Zondo, executive director: corporate relations at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), said the university did not expect any delays in registration.
“Matric results will be released on Friday, January 20, and lectures commence on Monday, February 13, which gives us three weeks to enrol students.”
Ishmael Mnisi, the spokesperson for the Department of Higher Education and Training, said the planning process for institutions was at an advanced stage based on the agreed three-year enrolment plans.
“Remember that our first-year entry students are pre-admitted by our institutions, so when the results are released, their registration will be finalised. Returning students do not have to wait as their progression is automatic when they have passed, and for those who have not passed to the next level, they know their registration status by now and have made arrangements for their re-registration this year.”
Minisi said first-year students funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and returning students would not be affected.
“The first entry students (new students) who qualify have already received their feedback from NSFAS. They only need to submit to NSFAS their acceptance letters for their institution for final approval for funding.”
Umalusi spokesperson Biki Lepota said the delay in the release of the matric results was due to Covid-19.
“The Covid -19 pandemic hit South Africa in 2020 and forced the closure of schools.
“Unfortunately this has changed the school calendar and has caused the delay we are seeing in the release of the matric results. Universities are aware when results are released, and do prepare.
“We are having discussions, and releasing the matric results earlier (for this year’s pupils) is one of the options we are looking at.”