University delays profiling info

The University of Pretoria (UP) appeared to be deliberately delaying providing information about its admissions policy for its veterinary sciences faculty, lobby group AfriForum Youth charged on Monday.

   

"AfriForum Youth requested 15 pieces of information in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act on March 13," national chairman Charl Oberholzer said in a statement.

   

"This was the third time in two years these requests were submitted to the UP about top students, who were allegedly denied entry into the faculty as a result of racial profiling."

   

Oberholzer said AfriForum Youth had been waiting since the beginning of 2013 for feedback about its third request, and still certain pieces of information were being withheld.

   

"The last letter was sent on September 9 to the UP in which they were given 21 days to respond after they had once again failed to supply the requested information," said Oberholzer.

   

"The UP indicated that they would need more time. The more the UP prevaricates, the more top students have to leave the country because of discrimination."

   

The request for information was submitted on behalf of a second and third year student at the university who approached AfriForum Youth for help, Oberholzer said.

   

"Various other students had to move abroad or give up on their dream profession."

   

The documents requested by AfriForum Youth related to: 

 

-- the identity and the number of students admitted to the faculty since 2009; 

-- all information regarding funding obtained by the UP from the higher education department as remuneration for policies that "redress the past";

-- all documents pertaining to correspondence regarding the negative impact of the admission policy on individuals applying for admission;

-- all documents leading to the approval of such policy;

-- a copy of the university's policy regarding unfair discrimination on the basis of race;

-- all additional criteria taken into consideration to determine  the possible admission of a student, and the weight accorded to such criteria; and-- the 

overall throughput rate for students admitted since 2006.

   

Last year, AfriForum Youth protested, with 10 students, about racial profiling. The students were later admitted to the faculty, Oberholzer said.

   

The UP was not immediately available for comment.

   

-Sapa