SASCO branch

Latha’s prepared Political input for SASCO Border Technikon Branch Executive Committee

The student populace as a section of the working class, in classical Marxist terms as it pertains to ownership and control of property, tends to be an easy casualty of the capitalist interests. In spite of capitalist apologists assertions that seek to convince us that there is no alternative to greed driven and malice infested system of capitalism, SASCO, as a sober Marxist-Leninist student movement, believes otherwise. SASCO understands that there is an alternative and that alternative is socialism: a system characterised by political and socioeconomic justice for the benefit of all instead of few “fortunate” individuals (which is the case in a capitalist system).

SASCO understands well that its noble struggle for free education is contained within and fused with the struggle for socialism. The knowledge and understanding of this truthful assertion is vital for every branch of SASCO, which is the basic unit of the organisation. This implies that branches of SASCO have got a burdensome yet welcome obligation to organise the student populace behind the vision and mission of the giant student movement for the achievement of free education and the long overdue socialist dispensation. Success in executing this task would mean a better life for all as we would have a really "democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous" nation which all progressive forces of the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) still struggle for as they pursue the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). It should be noted that the left perspective of the NDR finds resonance in our pursuits.

The commoditisation of education helps the capitalist class to entrench its power and bad influence on the running of institutions of education. This unwarranted influence extends to curriculum content and delivery. Unfortunately, by either omission or commission, the government of the day encourages this disturbing situation at the expense of the disadvantaged institutions which, due to histotical and current injustices, could not develop to their real potential. The future of the working class offspring is compromised by the cowardly tendency of indicisiveness of our ally, the ANC.

The prioritisation of profit and market orientated education by the liberal education institutions and government's disappointing role which perpetuates capitals strengle hold on education, threatens the humble objectives of our quest for free, relevant, quality, and socially responsive education that the progressive student movement justifiably envisions.

 Inasmuch as we want the private sector to contribute to education through bursaries, research funding, infrastructure development, sponsorships etc., we do not wish for the affluent individuals or profit motivated entities to undeservingly earn the influence (perhaps they already have too much influence) and hegemony over our institutions of education for their own selfish ends, at the detriment of the social mandate that is a natural obligation of higher education institutions.

Should money influence what is taught? The answer is categorically no! Courses and curriculum content should never be the province  of the so-not-well-meaning  capitalist minority. What and how we are taught, by whom, and for whose interests we are taught and teach, is the province of the state as the chief custodian of the public interest. It therefore stands to reason that, the government of the day (as currently led by the ANC) ought to be responsible enough to make certain that education that is provided by education institutions is in line with the nation’s intended developmental goals. Currently, the nation's developmental goals are defined by the Mational Development Plan (NDP). Higher education institutions have got to make certain that their operations serve the nation.

The above leads us to the highly contentious matter of institutional autonomy and academic freedom which present a challenge to the attainment of corresponding the course structure and content to what the nation seeks to achieve in short and long term periods. As matters currently stand, there is a highly liberal understanding of institutional autonomy and academic freedom, which seeks to portray the institutions of education as establishments which transcend the importance of public interest. SASCO, in 2006, submitted a well articulated input on the matter of institutional autonomy and academic freedom that sought to give a clear student movement’s perspective. The input correctly demonstrated that the state has a fundamental role to play in the education arena for the best interest of society. SASCO branches have a duty to make certain that the concepts of academic freedom and institutional autonomy are understood in the correct perspective as guided by the understanding and application of Marxist-Leninist tools of analysis.

Access and success are essential objectives of which SASCO cadres should consume themselves with. On the question of access, the exorbitant fees required for application, registration, tuition, accommodation and living expenses are exclusionary in the face of disgusting poverty that overwhelms the masses of our people. Many education institutions, particularly the so called Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDI) though facts suggest that they are still disadvantaged, continuously get low graduate throughput. Among numerous reasons for the low throughput rate are: high number of dropouts, lack of academic support, financial exclusion and many more. These are challenges which call upon SASCO cadres and structures to wage persistent and organised struggles to ascertain victory for students as they usually do in their daily work.

As we continue our struggle for free education, we should loudly scream: “Fees no more!” Despite the anxious attempts by the 'well educated' liberal pawns to characterise us as mad, SASCO is still unapologetically calling for the introduction of a well run free education system, both in content and monetary terms, to bring to fruition the correct and ardent call by the freedom charter that "The doors of learning shall be opened to all". The charter continues thus: "Education shall be free, compulsory, universal and equal for all children; Higher education and technical training shall be opened to all by means of state allowances and scholarships awarded on the basis of merit". The constitution of the republic in section 29.1 states that “Everyone has the right ­

1. to a basic education, including adult basic education; and
2. to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible." (my own emphasis)

Both the charter and the constitution of the republic, correctly recognise the importance of the state's role on education provision. It is then incumbent upon the ANC led government to fast track the process of rolling out free education and add more to the appreciated decision to turn NSFAS loans to bursaries for final year students (merits and demerits of this are a matter of another engagement as we still believe that this is not enough. What about the entry level students?). The ANC does not need bravery of acting against the liberal forces to deliver free education; what the ANC needs is the willingness and revolutionary discipline in executing the ANC resolutions and the promises of the 2009 election manifesto. SASCO, through its structures, should continue to clearly communicate that it is fast losing its patience due to the delaying tactics of the government of the day.

The students’ movement ought to continue in its efforts to persuade the ANC led government to cease its persistent effort to appease those who have no working class best interests at heart. The ANC government must decisively act on the call for free education, lest it betrays its historical mandate and invoke the wrath of the left forces, of which SASCO is part. Free education should be introduced cognisant of the important questions of curriculum content that should respond to societal needs and the skills question, hence our call for "free, relevant and quality education".

At no point must the student movement be found tolerating our education to be used as a tool by which capitalists advance their narrow financial and ideological interests at the cost of innovation and critical knowledge and research that can adequately respond to societal challenges. As things stand today, there is no doubt that priority is given to the areas of expertise that promote and are vital to the profit motivated entities. These are science, engineering and technology. One does not suggest that these fields, which are crucial to the market needs, are not important. However, it should be brought forth that the society we live in requires an education that can respond to the political and socioeconomic challenges as well.

For the above reason, SASCO must demand (not request) the government of the day to encourage scholarship in humanities and social sciences. The purported notion that social sciences are of less value to our society should be rejected with the scorn it deserves. Humanities and social sciences are vital for many problems we face, be they unemployment, poverty, crime, inequity or other socioeconomic problems. These are socioeconomic problems, which require academic institutions to contribute in solving as part of their social mandate.

It has been quite a long time since the organisation started its Free Education Marches as inspired by the resolutions of our national congresses. These marches, important as they are, cannot be the only instrument the organisation depends upon for attainment of free education. SASCO needs to intensify its free education campaign whilst improving on programs, guided by its five pillars (i.e. Policy, campus, community, international and ideological work) as stated in the draft Strategic Perspective on Transformation (SPOT) document for the 17th national congress of SASCO.

The student movement ought to ensure that the organisation is sustainable and remains relevant in the eyes and minds of the student populace at branch level.  SASCO ought to be effective in executing its mandate at branch level. The prospects of success in the struggle for better student services and free education will increase greatly. The struggle and currency of the organisation will remain intact.

The student movement cannot hope to triumph when its cadres are preoccupied with paltry matters which are elevated to, if not above, the status of core matters. For as long as comrades in the organisation, especially senior comrades, do not want to account for failures and ruin as they usually do for successes of the organisation and honestly assist without bullying the leadership of the organisation in tackling problems, the student movement may not endure  and survive in the long run. The decline of SASCO will signal the compromise of students’ best interests.

Events such as AGMs, BGMs, NC, PC, marches, strikes etc., cannot bring about fundamental transformation that the student movement hopes for on their own. There is a need to make it clear to students that the challenges faced by institutions of learning are not a special vacation for a certain group of "expert political students". The bulk of students must be consciously involved in whatever possible way they can in their struggle. Student leaders, more especially SASCO comrades, should not be in their own “struggle" that is not understood, recognised and supported by students. This means that SASCO has to sharpen its communication with students so as to sail together with students with understanding in the sea of waves (caused by challenges) that need careful manoeuvring. The SPOT document (5th series) correctly instructs that " students must reclaim their high moral ground as the standard bearers of the new person that the revolution must build!". The SPOT documents statement can means that once students understand the serious and complex intricacies of the struggle we are involved in, they will not, hopefully,  be ununserstanding of the struggle as they will be trained cadres and will thus not unfairly judge and punish us through the ballot. They will understand that the struggle is not simple and straight forward. Perhaps, to some extent, the 'high' and sometimes 'unreasonable' expectations that students posses would be curbed.

The narrow and compromising oppositionist politics seem to be the speciality of many of SASCO branches all over Mzantsi Afrika. "We do not want this and that!" approach must be deserted for proactive politics of serious activism. The movement ought to influence the discourse within our campuses and communities. The organisation cannot afford to be always responding to issues and fail to come up with anything on its own in the discourse that is taking place at campus level and in society, especially pertaining to education.

 It is for this reason that activists should be perturbed by the prevailing situation of SASCO that is always a respondent and at a defensive position on campus issues. Students are primary stakeholders in the institutions of education, thus they ought to lead discussions and make the doctors and professors think more than twice before they make any assertions, not out of fear of strikes or unmelodious houling, but out of the knowledge of our advanced capacity tointellectually, critically, and efficiently engage  in the interest of students. In any engagements, the Marxist-Leninist tools of analysis should continuously serve as our guide to make certain that we do not blunder and fall under the sugar coated spell of liberal ideology that overwhelms the academic world in Mzantsi Afrika and abroad. SASCO branches should adopt a revolutionary approach in tackling students’ matters in each campus.

SASCO branches, as components of a Marxist-Leninist student organisation must breed more left intellectuals and broadcast left ideas to all students and communities. "After all the revolution to triumph it must draw the best into its ranks..." (SPOT 5th series). This entails building and retaining effervescent cadres to assist in the revolutionary tasks of the branch. Through its programs and any of its activities, the SASCO branch have to revolutionise, politicise and build a conscious student body that does not only understand, but also support and participate actively in the struggle for the betterment of society in general and education in particular.  Students, with the assistance of SASCO, should be able to apply Marxism-Leninism in all that they learn in class and encounter outside lecture halls. Students must be in a position to challenge the hidden, yet apparent liberal insinuations of our curriculum. Neoliberal ideology should be tackled head on wherever and whenever it raises its unsightly head.

SASCO branches should speak to and come up with workable solutions to questions of academic freedom and institutional autonomy; research priorities of institutions; students housing; funding model and administration of funds at campuses; in-service training challenges; sport, arts and recreation challenges; relationship of academic and non-academic departments and many other matters, especially those that speak to the students directly. To borrow from SPOT document for the last time, "The challenge is to maintain the policy efficacy and lobbying capacity of the organisation at all levels on matters of policy, particularly at the level of the branch" which will help us to make a strong impact in addressing these matters. The mentioned issues would demand a lot of time and space to be fully unpacked; it would thus be unwise to dwell much on them on this platform.

Every branch should make sure that it plays its role positively as required. A strong, united, vibrant and working branch can make wonders in ensuring that the organisation goes forward and succeeds in its struggle for better student life and free education.

By PATRIOTIC VALIANT

Comrade Dinileminyanya Sandile Latha (Writing in his own capacity)

Chairperson of SASCO: Border Tech Branch

081 075 6690

Dinileminyanya@gmail.com

Chairperson's input

Message to the Science students of Walter Sisulu University from the chairperson Mr. Dinileminyanya Latha

Our successes in academics, leadership and building a good reputation have been recognised and awarded by students at WSU by voting us into different leadership positions.

The beautiful and great opportunity given to us by students should be honoured by reciprocating it with good leadership, great service and going beyond the call of duty.

It is crucial that leaders continue growing and prove that students have made a right choice by electing them to lead student structures. We should take pride in serving students honestly and with respect they deserve. Leaders should aspire to raise the pace and tempo instead of being too comfortable with the status quo.

Student leaders should excel academically; in leadership; serving, championing and representing students interests and in being exemplary.

The above are central to great student leadership. We therefore need to aspire and work towards being the best and reliable students’ representatives. Our actions, be they small or big, should never taint the well being of students. We should ensure that we do right by them every time and this requires a commitment, discipline and strong long-term purpose.

Academic excellence is not just about distinctions and class attendance. Learning should be habitual. Academic excellence is also about real learning in the realm of our social and personal lives. At the end of our university careers we have to go and contribute to society. The decisions we make and the societies we are part of contribute in our development as leaders and students. We therefore need to embrace and count our contribution to the general university community as important. All stakeholders should benefit from our skills and work.

Student leaders need to realise that they are not leaders by virtue of the positions they happen to occupy at a certain juncture in their lives. Leaders are leaders because of the role and contribution they make toward the university and society. Their behaviour, attitude, habits and traits they acquired throughout their lifetime are part of the equation.

Leaders should be able to account for decisions they take, and results thereof- whether they are positive or negative. Students need visionary and purposeful leaders who know what they seek to achieve instead of people who want to have a good CV and boost their huge egos.

Demagogues and rhetoric loudhailers are not necessarily good leaders. Leaders are people who have a sense of purpose, mission and vision that is backed by a strong will power. Leaders need composure and skills to steer the ship they are in charge of to the right direction no matter how challenging that may be. Leaders understand that every little progress counts for something. Leaders know that there is a required journey to any destination.

Student leaders should take pride in serving communities around them. They need to ensure that they are involved in fighting poverty, illiteracy, drug abuse and many other ills that are adversely affecting our society. Students have a responsibility to guide and inform high school learners about careers they can pursue and also help them with their academic work. There are many things students can do for communities. We need to go beyond the call of duty and contribute not for the sake of contribution but, to make a positive and lasting difference to society.

Student leaders need to build a great personality.

Leaders should be honest and committed in serving their constituencies. They should never be involved in corruption for ethical leaders do good even when in dark and hidden corners. Leaders should provide leadership even on small matters in classroom situations. One of those ways is to do homework and pass well. When fellow classmates fight, for example, a leader should never be found encouraging the fight by screaming in support to any party involved. Student leaders should do well even when they are alone. Lead by example all the time.

Leaders should be true and committed to their vision and honour it with their deeds to bring it to fruition.

Every little thing a leader does counts. Leaders should be bold enough to take harsh and difficult decisions when necessary. Cowardice is not an option for good leaders.

A visionary leader is able to evaluate his or her achievements or failures and learn. A leader should not live without a goal for that will reduce him or her to a wanderer. A leader lives a life with a purpose and direction.

A leader appreciates other people’s achievements and help when needed. No jealous.

Student leaders at SCIENTECH are committed to serving students well.

Dinileminyanya S Latha 081 075 6690                                            

  Chairperson of SCIENTECH

This Article was written by Ms malaika-wa-Azania. It was copied from

http://penandazanianrevolution.blogspot.com

 

ATTACKS ON SASCO: A GENESIS OF SOCIETAL DECAY by Malaika Wa Azania

It would serve the interests of agents of falsification to have students in South Afrika turn a blind eye to the attacks launched against the South African Students Congress (SASCO), particularly in this volatile period of our politics where coherent ideological discourse has been replaced with opportunism, careerism and patronage. It would serve agents of indoctrination to have students believing that SASCO is working against us and settling vendettas against the ANC-led government which some continue to claim is always representing the interests of the working-class majority of this country. It would serve the interests of factions born outside the student movement to have a youth that does not question anything; for fear that we’ll question the glaringly lugubrious contributions of those who claim to be genuine representatives of our plight. But beyond that, it would serve this country that finds itself engulfed in a state of defeatism to have young people volunteering themselves to abattoirs of tyranny, where lies are claimed and easy victories are won. But young people do not serve the interests of agents of falsification, indoctrination and induced soporification and thus, revolt against the expectations imposed by these people. We revolt against this for no other reason than that in everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the sun. And this is the season and the time for young people to cut the umbilical cord that binds us to the tyranny of our elders. This is a season and a time when we declare without fear or favour that education is a site of struggle that cannot be diluted with politics of men and women who start wars in parliaments and send us out to fight and die in them.

REACTIONS TO THE STATEMENT RELEASED BY SASCO

Three days ago, on the 12^th of June 2012, the president of the Republic of South Afrika, the Honourable Jacob Gidleyihlekisa Zuma, announced a cabinet reshuffle that saw Mr Mduduzi Manana, a member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC Youth League and youngest Member of Parliament since 1994, being appointed as the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, a position previously held by Ms Hlengiwe B Mkhize, who was shifted to the parallel economic development portfolio. Mr Manana’s appointment sparked a lot of debate in the country, with some sections of the populace declaring it a progressive move and some strongly opposed to it. Those in the former category include the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA), led by Buti Manamela, which, in a statement released on the 14^th of June 2012, declared:

“The YCL would also like to extend our congratulations to the newly
appointed Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Cde Comfort
Mduduzi Manana, a distinguished youth activist and leader of our ally, the
ANCYL and a former chairperson of a YCL branch in the Gert Sibande District
in the Mpumalanga Province. All progressive youth formations should join
hands in welcoming this appointment by the state president.”

This celebration was, of course, not shared by student formations. The South African Democratic Student Movement (SADESMO), in a statement released n the 13^th of June 2012, had this to say:

“While SADESMO is totally disappointed by the appointment of Mduduzi Manana as the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training we are certainly not surprised…SADESMO believes that Manana lacks the experience required for the grueling task of transforming the higher education sector, which we view as vital if we want to make education and training a top priority in South Africa…”

However, the harshest criticism came from SASCO, the largest student movement in the country, which did not attempt to mince its views in a statement released the day before. SASCO, in a statement that informed the writing of this article, had this to say about Manana’s appointment:

“Given our location in education and higher education in particular we feel obliged to express our discomfort with the appointment of Mduduzi Manana as deputy minister of Higher Education and Training. SASCO is utterly dismayed, taken aback, angry, flabbergasted, disappointed and annoyed at the appointment of Mr Mdu Manana (who happens to be our colleague in the PYA as a leader of the ANCYL) as the deputy minister of higher education and training. We do not have any reason to believe that Mr Manana is up to the task of being a deputy minister of such a complex and strategic department…” [Emphasis mine]

The statement by SASCO, and in particular the quoted paragraph, was received with mixed feelings, particularly on the social network platform where +/- 7.1 million South Africans converge daily (SA Digital Statistics, 2012). Criticism also came from other student movements (even those who in principle shared the views of SASCO but for reasons difficult to comprehend, felt it necessary to join in on the scathing attacks), who too claimed that SASCO was being reactionary and emotional in its response to Mr Manana’s appointment.

THE SASCO PERSPECTIVE: REACTIONARY OR BITTER TRUTH?

As indicated, according to those who have been spewing venom at the statement released by SASCO, the organisation is settling scores with the ANC that is allegedly marginalising it. Some have gone as far as to claim that SASCO is in solidarity with the faction within the ANCYL that has been at war with the president of the Republic and is using its influence within the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) to humiliate the president and the entire ANC. How such conclusions can be drawn from the statement is yet another mystery incomprehensible to some of us who believe that the statement is posing questions that beg for critical analysis.

SASCO, in its statement, attempts to explain the basis for its dissatisfaction about Manana’s appointment:

“How on earth can our ANC led government appoint such a person with no track record on issues related to education, let alone higher education and further training in particular? We do not believe that Mr Manana will help us in dealing with the plethora of challenges in the higher education and further training sector. With all due respect to the erroneously appointed deputy minister, we are not convinced that Mr Manana has the capacity to diligently deliver in this department…”

At the risk of inviting further attacks on SASCO, this statement shall be qualified. Manana, who obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN), reportedly has a long history of academic exclusions from various institutions, which he alleges were informed by “ideological differences”. While this in itself is a matter that need not be viewed in isolation from Manana’s contributions in the student struggle (having started at 14 when he joined the Congress of South African Students), it is a matter that begs for engagement. Indeed, academic qualifications alone cannot be used as a determinant of a person’s capacity to lead and deliver. However, in a ministry that already finds itself faced with a “plethora of challenges” and in a country that is in urgent need of the over-hauling of the education system in its entirety, there is an vital need for qualified people with a clear vision to formulate strategies on educational transformation. It stands to reason, thus, that the most experienced and most qualified of people are the ones who ought to be placed in the driving seat of this ministry. The education system in South Afrika needs more than just political will and commitment from the government and all stakeholders. It needs people who have experience dealing with the on-going challenge of addressing the injustices of the past in the higher education and training sector. Unfortunately, an undergraduate qualification does not qualify as an indication of having dealt with this challenge at a highest level and thus, inspires no confidence in young people who are at the receiving end of the decay.

HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING – THE ROAD TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NOW A DREAM DEFERRED

It is very easy to dismiss SASCO’s concerns as reactionary and emotional when one employs a microscopic view to the underlying issues that are facing the country and indeed, the entire Afrikan continent. However, when the retina is returned to our eyes and we thoroughly dissect the implications of a higher education and training sector in tatters, we will begin to understand how fatal a flaw it is to appoint persons with questionable abilities to the education department.

South Afrika is home to more than 58 mineral reserves in the world. 70% of them are in the platinum group metals, 40% is gold and 70% is manganese (Department of Mineral Resources 2009/2010 booklet). Historically, the economy of the country has been rooted in the primary sector. This is the sector that has the industries engaged in production or extraction of natural resources such as crops and ores and because of South Afrika’s mineral wealth, this sector has been the main driver of our economy. However, since the mid-1990s, economic growth has been driven mainly by the tertiary sector - which includes wholesale and retail trade, tourism and communications. As a result of this development, South Afrika is moving away from being an industry-based to being a knowledge-based economy, an economy which is directly based on the production, distribution and use of knowledge and information. For this reason, higher education and training is the most important sector in our country, for it is in it that producers of knowledge and information are manufactured.

South Afrika’s progress as a country and whatever policies and programmes we adopt, must at all times be in line with the objective of addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and unequal distribution of wealth, all which are the chromatin network of a nucleus of historical colonial oppression and the heinous legacy of apartheid. As such, it is vital that the first sector that must have all energies employed into is the sector wherein the country’s future generations is located, for it determines whether we become beneficiaries of the apartheid legacy or agents of its annihilation. Such a herculean task dare not be left in the hands of anyone but a dedicated, committed and capacitated leader.

PROGRESSIVE DIALOGUE MEANS AN END TO BLIND LOYALISM

Having understood the context in which SASCO is raising its views, a context of Afrikan development, it becomes opportunistic and fallacious to want to claim that the organisation has any interests outside those of the future of the youth in this country. It becomes dangerous even, to want to dismiss its views as reactionary and emotional. We dare not allow agents of falsification, soporification and indoctrination to convince us otherwise, lest we flirt with our generation’s own demise.

It cannot be debated that there is a need for South Afrika to engage honest introspection that will lead to the removal of societal constructs that continue to hold us hostage, one of them being blind loyalism and the other being philistinism. These chains create limitations to our growth as a society, particularly for us young people who stand to inherit this country. Our loyalty shall never be to anything else but the ideal of a South Afrika in which those who are sent to tertiary institutions emerge as critical thinkers as opposed to functional illiterates as is the reality today. It should be to nothing else but the ideal of a country wherein education is taken seriously by the government, wherein WE are taken seriously by the government. So when debate is open, as it was with SASCO’s statement, we must not only engage it critically, we must engage it with honesty and an intention to gear it towards an Afrikan developmental agenda. Failure to do so will spell the beginning of the end and the end of what could be the beginning of a much needed mental revolution.

IZWE LETHU!

Malaika Wa Azania (Daughter of the soil)

Minister of Land Affairs 2033

University Clinics

University clinics need to be strengthened.

University clinics are to students as important as community clinics and hospitals are to the society at large. The university clinics are specifically aimed at assisting the university community pertaining to health matters which are of critical significance in the individuals’ and collective wellbeing of the university community, particularly students.

Students are experiencing physical, emotional and social problems which ought to be given attention by the universities, and the role of the clinics is of great importance in this regard. Our educational institutions have got a challenge of physically challenged and chronically ill students who are forever in demand of health services. Of course, now and then, other many students would need help that should be availed to them by the institutional clinics. This task is important for it speaks directly to the need for quality student services which have a serious bearing on the value of student life at campuses.

The so called disabled students should be assisted by improving the university infrastructure (e.g. building ramps, accommodating residences, toilets etc), provision of necessary equipment and stationary (e.g. wheelchairs, brail, computers etc) and other necessities. The students that live with chronic disorders like epilepsy and diseases such as diabetes should not leave campus to get medication. They have to get their medication from the campus clinics to convenience them and ensure that they enjoy their student life. The education on how to react and be helpful to the physically challenged and students with disorders is the duty of both students and clinics. Any student should have an idea of what to do when an epileptic student has a seizure or what food is good for a diabetic, for an example. That can be achieved through effective awareness campaigns by students and campus clinics.

It is unfortunate that clinics at tertiary institutions of learning are experiencing the same problems that are experienced by community clinics, such as the following: shortage of staff; poor services; lack of medication; absence or shortage of necessary health equipment and many more. These challenges affect the student populace negatively and thus, they ought to be tackled with the participation of students as an integral part of the university. This is where the health and science students come in.

Health students are required, as part of their curriculum, to work in the real health institutions to gain both competence and experience in their field of study. Why are these students placed only at hospitals and clinics outside of the university when there is a shortage of staff at their own and neighbouring campuses? The authorities should place health students at university clinics in order to alleviate the situation of the shortage of health personnel at campus clinics. Social work and psychology students should also be given a chance to gain experience by being afforded the opportunity to partake in providing counselling to patients at campus clinics. For instance, social work and psychology students can play a crucial role in HIV/AIDS testing by providing counselling to staff and students population.

One may argue that this will alienate students at campuses from going to these clinics for they will be uncomfortable with exposing their private matters to their peers who happen to be students. This can be prevented by deploying health students to institutions they do not belong to so that they interact with different health clientele. This will be both advantageous to the health students and student patients for it will assist the health student to interact with students from other institutions; the student patient will be comfortable being assisted by health personnel that is not from his/her circle since many, if not most patients, prefer a health professional they do not know to that which they know when it comes to sensitive illnesses or problems. The other simple issues can be left to Peer Educators and other valuable groups.

Clinics should be involved in both preventive and curative part of health so as to guarantee that the impact made is significant. This calls for the deployment of not only nursing and medicine students, but health promoters who would, together with other relevant structures, give necessary attention to the constant awareness campaigns which are critical in educating the masses. This would help in the prevention of illness for knowledge is power. However important awareness campaigns maybe, we have learnt from experience that they are not the sole answer to the prevention of illness. It is therefore important to have a multi faceted approach that will combine different expertise available in related health and science fraternities. Therefore, Analytical Chemistry and Biomedical Technology students, under professional supervision, should be involved in doing tests which require specific scientific knowledge. This can also serve as practical training. 

Students join the tertiary institutions with little, if any, experience of independence. This renders them vulnerable to both positive and negative influences. Among these influences are peer pressure, drugs and alcohol which usually than not lead them to erroneous decision making as their judgement is clouded. Many of these students seek to blend well in the new setting of the university and, therefore, can be lured easily by the unscrupulous characters found at institutions of higher learning. This calls upon the universities, with the assistance of relevant bodies and campus clinics to have programmes to help new students in their transition to student life at university. This is important, for it is out of the decisions made early in university life that many get trapped in the stranglehold of alcohol, drugs and bad company. There is no doubt that such circumstances have a long term detrimental effects on the individual, family and loved ones which will undeniably require the intervention of the health fraternity at one time or another.

The health of those who excessively use intoxicating substances like alcohol and drugs is at risk for these substances lead them to consenting to unprotected sex or to being susceptible to rape which can lead them to contamination by Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s).  STI’s are not the only possibility. The other problem is that intoxicated people have a propensity to partake in fights or behave carelessly and thus they are prone to injury and, unfortunately, death. When they are injured they require the help of the healthcare institutions.

The consumption of alcohol has negative social consequences. The reason for this is that people under the demonic spell of drugs and peer pressure are putting not only their physical health, but also psychological health at risk. The health problems, both physical and psychological, affect families and loved ones alike and, ultimately, the community. Once it is a community problem, it ceases to be just a health issue but a social predicament.

The other matter that has to be given necessary attention is cohabitation. We need to dissuade students from cohabitation for when one cohabitates, one tends to be lenient in sexual engagements with one’s partner. Cohabitation contributes to the high pregnancy rate at our institutions. This is not to say that students who do not cohabitate do not fall pregnant or behave sloppily in their sexual encounters. We need to provide advice and counselling on family and relationship matters to couples, whether they cohabitate or not, without any prejudice or undue judgement from campus clinic staff and assistants. Professional and ethical staff is needed. Our triumph on the scouge of teenage pregnancy and STIs will bear positive fruits in a long term, but we have to create a trusting relationship between the clinics and the students first.

Cooperative and programmatic relationship between the campus clinics, SRCs and students’ organisations such as South African Medical Students Association (SAMSA), DENOSA Learner Movement, students political and religious organisations (SASCO, PASMA, SCO, METHSOC etc) and other stakeholders (lecturers, NEHAWU, staff etc) is crucial. We all need to ensure that the students are served excellently and get the service they surely deserve.  Collective effort is best to individual effort. Collaboration is what will take the campus clinics from Panado dispensers to makoya clinics.

We therefore have a task to make it our duty as student activists and leaders to persuade our universities and government to ensure that campus clinics are not just equal, but greater than the task of adequately responding to health problems at institutions of learning. However, we need to take this struggle beyond the campus to our communities for we exist as a connection of a circuit of society.

Forward with quality healthcare for students!!

BY  Dinileminyanya Sandile Latha [ Chairperson of SASCO Border branch)