Ichilo abafundi bebhubhisa isikhungo
Abafundi abasezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme kulindeleke ukuthi babe yisibani esizokhanyisela isizwe eminyakeni ezayo. Ngabaholi bakusasa emikhakheni eyahlukene laba isizwe esizama ukubapheka kula mabhodwe akwangqondonkulu. Izigameko ezenzeke esikhungweni semfundo i-University of KwaZulu- Natal (UKZN) kuleli sonto esiliphethayo, azigcini ngokuba yihlazo kodwa zingamanyala, ichilo uqobo lwalo. NgoMsombuluko e-UKZN, ophikweni lwaseHoward College eMbilo, eThekwini, abafundi bavuke indlobane bathungela ngomlilo isikhungo sokweluleka ngesifo sengculaza nesandulela ngculaza. Baphinde bashisa imoto yomunye umfundi emini ilanga libalele. Kuthe kusabatshazwa lokho, umlilo waqubuka kolunye uphiko lwale nyuvesi eWestville lapho kuthungelwe khona ngomilo igumbi lokuhlala onogada. Nakho futhi sekuphinda kungqongqa igumbi lokufunda laso lesi sikhungo kodwa ophikweni oluseMgungundlovu.
Konke lokhu kwenzeka ezinsukwini ezintathu nje vo. Inyuvesi yavutha amalangabi esikhaleni nje. Abaphathi be-UKZN bakumisile ukufunda nokubhalisa kuze kube uMsombuluko womhla zili-10 kwephezulu. Mkhulu umonakalo odalwe yilezi zidlamlilo zabafundi njengoba eMgungundlovu bebejikijela ngamatshe izimoto zomphakathi obuzedlulela ngomgwaqo ngesikhathi bebhikisha kuleli sonto. Abanikazi nabashayeli balezo zimoto abahlangene ngalutho nokwenzeka kulesi sikhungo. Bekufikisa amahloni, kubonakala abafundi begijimisa onogada namaphoyisa, abantu abalingana nabangaphezu kwabazali babo ngeminyaka yobudala.
Lesi sikhungo esasaziwa nge-University of Natal phambilini, sadibaniswa ne- University of Durban Westville (UDW) saziwa njengesikhungo esihlonishwayo ngenxa yezinga laso eliphezulu nabantu abakhiqizwe yisona. I-UKZN yaqala ukuba khona ngonyaka wezi-2004 ngenyanga kaMasingana. Abantu abathwase kulezi zikhungo bayahlonishwa emphakathini ngenxa yeqhaza labo, abanye bangabaholi ezingeni likazwelonke. USolwazi uMalegapuru Makgoba, ohlonishwayo emkhakheni wezempilo, uke waba nguMphathi we-UKZN amahlandla amabili. UMehluleli oMkhulu ezweni, uMogoeng Mogoeng, nguyena iShansela laleya nyuvesi njengamanje.
UHulumeni wahlinzeka abafundi ngesikhwama sokusiza labo abahlwempu nabavela emindenini edla imbuya ngothi. INational Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) inemali engaphezu kwezigidigidi azamarandi ezingama-30 ehlinzekelwe abafundi abahlwempu. Abafundi ezikhungweni ezahlukene bebekhala ngokuthi bafuna amanyuvesi abadedele babhalise yize noma bekweleta imali yeminyaka edlule. UDkt uBlade Nzimande, uthe lokho kungenzeka kodwa ngaphambi kokuba iNSFAS ibakhokhele izobheka ukuthi baqhuba kanjani ezifundweni zabo. UDkt uNzimande unxuse iSouth African Union of Students (SAUS) ukuthi ingenelele isize ekuxazululeni imibhikisho enodlame esezikhungweni.
ISAUS iyazihlangula, ithi le mibhikisho enodlame ayifuqwa ngabafundi kodwa ngabantu abenezinhloso ezithile abasusa lolu dugunyane ngenhloso yokujivaza uHulumeni. Kuthiwa sekuqashwa “namaphara” abeyingxenye yemibhikisho ukuze izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme zingalawuleki. Nyakenye e-University of Zululand (oNgoye), abafundi bakhala ngokuhlukunyezwa, ukuhlaselwa nokugqekezelwa emiqashweni engaphandle kwesikhungo ngoba amagumbi okuhlala enganele ngaphakathi. Lokhu kwenzeka sekuyophela unyaka. UMnyango Wezemfundo Ephakene wangenelela, isimo sisathule njengamanje.
