Education in crisis | UJ students battling with registration

JOHANNESBURG - The SRC at the University of Johannesburg wants the institution to dip into its own pockets to fund student historical debt.

Many are unable to register due to outstanding fees.

SRC president Mxolisi Manana says the outstanding debt tops around R18-million.

Because the university is profitable, it can spare the cash to ease their plight.

READ: Private sector must help fund students, says education foundation

"We are saying as of the 17th of February this year, the debt that is owed by the students who have applied for the SRC trust fund and cannot pay the 50 percent AOD rises up to about R18-million," Manana said.

"So we are saying that can the university now look into its council reserves? Can it go to its council reserves and see how best it can assist on that R18-million debt so that we can assist those students.

"Because these are your missing middle students who cannot, who are too rich as they would say, for NSFAS but are too poor to afford their own fees."