Lecturers salary protests force delay of varsity results

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
The release of Lupane State University (LSU) examination results for non-conventional students have been delayed by lecturers who were protesting against non-payment of salaries.

The university released results for the conventional students last week but those of the parallel and block release students were withheld by lecturers protesting non- payment of salaries.

Government pays lecturers’ salaries for conventional classes but wages for parallel programmes tutors are paid by universities from money paid by the students.

LSU communication and marketing director Mr Zwelithini Dlamini confirmed that protesting lecturers had delayed the release of the results for parallel and block release students.

He however, said the lecturers have since been paid their outstanding salaries and the process to release the results had started.

“As you might be aware parallel and block students have separate contracts and therefore the lecturers were withholding certain information related to results as a way of pushing for their payment. I’m advised that after students realised that results had been processed for the conventional group, those with outstanding fees paid up and the university in turn processed the payment to the lecturers last Friday,” said Mr Dlamini.

He said the results will be released next week after the academic board and the other relevant committees have completed the usual formalities.

Mr Dlamini said the Covid-19 pandemic had also contributed to the delays in the release of the results citing that some staff members were affected by working from home.

Some of the parallel and block release students have expressed concern over delays in releasing the results saying it would affect them in the event they have to sit for supplementary examinations.

Mr Dlamini however, assured the students that they will be given enough time to prepare for the supplementary examinations.

Universities have adopted both face to face and online learning as part of measures to minimise exposure to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Universities are just taking in First Year students for orientation and thereafter the students have lectures online as part of measures to avoid congestion at institutions of higher learning.
-@nqotshili