A final-year student from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) thinks the university is spiteful for not allowing her to graduate in April.
Saudiqah Gelandt, who has won competitions as a chef, says she wants to take up a job abroad, but in order for that to happen she needs to graduate in April, not December as is currently the case.
“I think the lecturers and the head of the department are being spiteful for not allowing me to graduate. Last year I was a final-year student at the institution and was due to graduate this April. I was told that I will only be graduating in December. I have worked extremely hard to be able to study and had so many challenges and still academically excelled, just for my graduation to be postponed by a year,” says Gelandt.
Gelandt says her problems started when she was placed on in-service training or Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), the placement of final-year diploma students in the industry which they are studying.
“I was placed at a market where I did not feel I was learning anything that will help me in the long run. Some days it didn’t even have anything to do with being a chef. On occassions I was asked to help the cleaners and even though I do not mind helping, I wasn’t learning anything to further my craft,” says Gelandt.
When she wasn’t getting any joy from the market, she was offered another placement, but out of her own will applied at a hotel.
“I have completed all my course work and believe that CPUT lacks empathy for my situation. I am mentally exhausted and drained and feel that I am fighting a hopeless fight,” she says.
CPUT, through it’s spokesperson Lauren Kansley, says the institution’s stance on the graduation date will not change.
“We have made many allowances for Gelandt to pass and unfortunately the delayed graduation is a result of her own decisions taken during her WIL placement. She has accused both her lecturers, HOD and her former line managers of being spiteful, without considering how her own actions have led to this unfortunate situation.
“Many students have difficult WIL placements and stay the course to enable them to graduate on time. Gelandt chopped and changed her placement without the appropriate institutional approvals and that is why she will graduate in December and not April. With over 30 000 students we must respect the protocols which govern our mark allocation.
“Despite her opinions on CPUT and it’s staff, we agree that she is a special talent and we know she will do exceptionally well wherever she does end up working one day,” says Kansley.
