Unfair Treatment of Education Students and Lack of Support During the Research Process

Unfair Treatment of Education Students and Lack of Support During the Research Process

I am extremely disappointed with the way MANCOSA has handled the challenges faced by Education Honours students during the research process. Despite communicating our challenges regarding data collection and the strict timelines imposed by the relevant department, MANCOSA has refused to allow Education students to switch to a desktop study, without providing a satisfactory justification for this decision.

What makes this particularly frustrating is that students were initially given the understanding that a desktop study could be considered should challenges arise. However, when these challenges became a reality, the option was denied to Education students, placing us at a significant disadvantage compared to students in other faculties who may have different research requirements and alternatives available to them. This raises serious concerns about fairness, equal treatment and whether Education students are receiving the same level of consideration and support as students in other faculties.

In my case, I was only assigned a research coordinator on 31 August 2026, leaving me with approximately one month to collect data before schools closed and the permitted data collection period ended. Education students are not permitted to collect data during the fourth term, meaning that data collection can only resume in January 2027. These are genuine, time-sensitive challenges that students cannot simply overcome through personal effort alone.

Despite the institution's role in the circumstances contributing to these delays, the proposed solution is to offer an extension at an additional cost to students. It is deeply unfair to expect students to pay extra fees to resolve delays when institutional decisions and processes have also contributed to the situation. Students should not be financially penalised for circumstances that are not entirely within their control.

MANCOSA needs to explain why Education students are being denied the opportunity to switch to desktop research when the challenges have been communicated, and why students must bear the financial consequences of delays they did not cause alone.

I expected better support, transparency and flexibility from an institution entrusted with our academic development. I urge MANCOSA to reconsider this decision, apply its policies fairly across faculties, and provide a reasonable solution that does not place an unnecessary financial burden on students.

Education students deserve equal consideration, fair treatment and meaningful academic support, not additional obstacles when we are already trying our best to complete our qualifications.