Transcript
The opposition MP Mikaele Leawere says students are stressed about exams and many of them might be financially vulnerable after Cyclone Winston. He says he knows the university is not a charity, but the process was bad, and the Vice Chancellor and his stand-in should both step down.
"I am asking for them to step down because this is not good. I feel very strongly about it because most of these parents, they come from a low socio-economic bracket. I just don't know how they have arrived at this decision. It's very very cruel to the students, absolutely it's very cruel. They should think about where they are sitting, they should resign."
Student university newspaper Wansolwara reporter Avneel Abhishay spoke to students in Suva. Electrical engineering student Prabhaat Parekh says he was locked out of the online portal with an exam the next day.
"They shouldn't have revoked the Modal Access, because almost the entire semester is gone and the students have got stuff already, they depend on Modal very much, so they could have revoked something else."
Perina Vocea, an arts student, says she saw the email late on Friday and was caught by surprise. Her mother sent the fees after the registry was closed on Friday, and on Monday she couldn't access the university system.
"I couldn't get hold of the readings that I needed for this week and if I do pay now I have to wait for 48 hours and I'm quite worried because in about two days one of my big major assignments is due."
She says in the past this kind of action was done after exams, and results were withheld until fees were paid. But Richard Coll, the univeristy's Acting Vice-Chancellor, says if they wait until after exams, there's a huge risk with failing students simply not paying and not returning. Professor Coll did backtrack slightly, saying they have reactivated accounts for students who have paid tuition fees but might still have other fees outstanding. He says the university simply wanted to give every opportunity for students to pay, even after the week six deadline. But he says the process will be reviewed.
"We will have a look at those dates and see how to manage that then if we remind and remind and remind students before the week six deadline then I can tell you know that that won't make much difference. It was really the fact that we took this precipitous action that resulted in any students taking the matter seriously."
Sister university the Fiji National University says it too gives students every opportunity to pay their fees and as a last resort it too deregisters before the final examinations.
