Tuks turns away top matrics

2011-11-08 22:39

Johannesburg - Another seven top matrics who between them have about 50 distinctions, have been turned down by the University of Pretoria's faculty of veterinary science on account of "poor academic performance".

That's according to AfriForum Youth, and follows a decision by the faculty to deny admission to Kiara Haylock, whose mathematics mark was 92% and that for science 86%.
 
The youth organisation on Tuesday asked Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande to intervene as a matter of urgency.
 
Tuks is the only university in South Africa where the course is offered.
 
AfriForum Youth's Charl Oberholzer said one of the seven, Rozelle Zamudio, had been under the impression that she had been accepted.

She had an average of 91% for  mathematics and 90% for science - two of the main subjects for admission to the course.
 
"Top students are leaving the country because they are not being given the opportunity to follow their calling," said Oberholzer, the national chairperson.

"Students who were born in 1993 are being asked to stand aside, regardless of the contribution they would like to make to the country's skills crisis.
 
"UP is blaming the demographic targets set by the department of higher education, while the minister throws the ball back in the university’s court.
 
"In the meantime the skills crisis is not being addressed," said Oberholzer.
 
He asked the minister to relieve the shortage of veterinary surgeons in South Africa by giving all top achievers the opportunity to compete.
 
AfriForum Youth last week asked the UP to make the academic achievements of the successful applicants available in terms of the Access to Information Act to determine whether these applicants had in fact performed better than learners who had been turned away.