MTHOBISI SITHOLE
BANIKWE ushwele abafundi abafuna ukubhalisela ukufunda ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme njengoba amanye amanyuvesi KwaZulu-Natal eyelulile iminqamulajuqu yokubhalisa. Kuhlehlisiwe ukuvalwa kokubhalisa eMangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) naseDurban University of Technology (DUT), njengoba lezi zikhungo bezihlele ukuba zivale mhlaka-21 (Mangosuthu) no-18 (DUT) kwephezulu. E-MUT, izinkinga zeNational Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) ziholele ekutheni kwenzeke izinguquko ohlelweni lo kubhalisa.
Obhekelele uhlelo lokubhalisa kwabafundi kule nyuvesi, uNkk Phumzile Masala, uthe uhlu lwabafundi abaxhaswe yi-NSFAS baluthole mhla ka-18 kwephezulu, okwenza kudingeke izinsuku ezengeziwe ukusebenza lolu hlelo emishinini yabo. Uveze ukuthi abafundi abebevele befunda kule nyuvesi, bazoqala ukubhalisa ngoLwesine mhla ka-24 kuphothulwe mhla ka-2 kuNdasa (March). “Abazofunda okokuqala enyuvesi, sizoqhubeka nabo kuleli sonto kuze kube kuhlangana isibalo esizibekele sona sabafundi abawu-3 516.
“NgoLwesihlanu sikwazile ukubhalisa abawu-1 812 futhi lusahamba kahle uhlelo lwabo.
“Siyabakhuthaza abafundi ukuba bangalinge bazifikele mathupha enyuvesi, konke mabakwenze online,” kusho uNkk Masala. E-DUT edume ngezinkinga zokubhikisha kwabafundi sekuhlehliselwe uLwesihlanu. Okhulumela le nyuvesi, uMnu Alan Khan, uthe wudlame lwabafundi oluphoqe ukuba kushintshwe uhlelo. Utshele leli phephandaba ukuthi lezi zinguquko ngeke ziphazamise ikhalenda lesikhungo, wathi kuzoqala ukufunda namuhla nakuba bezobe bekhona abangakabhalisi. “Izitshudeni ebezivele zifunda esikhungweni ezingakabhalisi, zizokwazi ukufaka izicelo zokubuyekezwa kwezinkinga zazo bese lezo zicelo zizobhekwa ngamakomidi ama faculty mhla ka-28 kuyona le nyanga kuya kumhla ka-11 kuNdasa,” kusho uMnu Khan.
Uthi uma sekulunge izinkinga, abafundi abenza unyaka woku-qala bazofundiswa ubuso nobuso. Utshele ILANGA ukuthi akungenwa ngaphakathi enyuvesi nezisebenzi zisebenzela emakhaya. Kulesi sikhungo kubheduke udlame ngesonto eledlule kugasela abafundi ophikweni lwase Steve Biko, eThekwini, bashisa izimoto ezine zezisebenzi. Okwamanje kuvaliwe ophikweni lwaseML Sultan, eRitson, eCity Campus naseSteve Biko. E-University of KwaZulu-Natal kuphazamiseke ukusebenza ophikweni lwaseHoward College naseWestville Campus kumisiwe ukufunda nokufundisa sonke isikhungo. UNkz Nomarh Zondo okhulumela le nyuvesi, uthe bavale ngoba kuvikelwa izisebenzi nezitshudeni. Kulesi sikhungo kuzovalwa ukubhalisa mhla ka-25 kwephezulu, kodwa isigungu esilawula abafundi siphakamise ukuba kwengezwe ngelinye isonto.
