Accounting Science students up in arms about ‘unfair’ exam

by | Jan 28, 2019 | Featured 1

Students say that they were set up to fail auditing supplementary exam.

A group of over 50 third-year BAccSci students who failed their supplementary auditing exam fear that they will not be able to secure funding and register for the upcoming academic year.

In a meeting organised by the students with the Head of School of Accountancy, Professor Nirupa Padia, on Wednesday, January 23, the students claimed that the ACCN3015 paper which they wrote on November 27, 2018, was “identical” to that written by the fourth-year class during the same period and that is the reason for their failure.

Padia told the students that she would consider their complaints and try and come up with a solution before their next meeting, scheduled for Thursday, January 31. The students have also written to the Vice-Chancellor’s office and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Sifiso Mduli, who was repeating third year, fears that he will lose his bursary if these grievances are not resolved soon. The students are demanding a review of their exam or possibly even a second sitting because they say these results cast a doubt on their future at the university.

“I’ve communicated with my bursar but it’s difficult to explain. They’ll believe that I am incompetent especially because of last year. So it seems like I might be forced to fund myself if I want to continue studying.

The students also alleged at the meeting with Padia that some of their classmates had been allowed to view their scripts and review their marks while others were not permitted. Those who had viewed their scripts were said to have subsequently passed.

The situation has gained national attention with the issue being discussed on SAfm early last week. The requirements of the course were highlighted in the radio discussion with Professor Jason Cohen, the deputy dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management. The requirements are that third-year students have to pass all four of their subjects (management accounting and finance, taxation, auditing and financial accounting) to progress to fourth year.

“This is not a qualification requirement to receive the Bachelors of Accounting Science degree, it is an entry requirement into the fourth year or, so-called CTA year,” Cohen said. “So a number of students managed to pass through by obtaining credits in a more piecemeal manner. It is only in trying to access that fourth year that we require those students to pass through.”

Cohen argued on air that, despite these demands, most students had performed reasonably well, saying that nearly three quarters of the student body had passed three of the four courses, while auditing had a pass rate of 60%.

“I understand the frustrations of the students who were not able to succeed this time around but nearly 500 students passed that particular course being referred to,” Cohen added.

Third-year BAccSci student, Rudelle Pillay, said that she had been left with very few options and hoped the situation would be resolved before the academic year began.

“I feel that they have been inconsistent; there’s no transparency in this course. We have been talking to them for weeks so this could get resolved sooner rather than later.

“I’ve had to convert to a BCom because I wanted to register. My parents cannot afford to pay for those four subjects again, considering that I still owe money,” Pillay added.

FEATURED IMAGE: The School of Accountancy is wrapped in controversity as students claim to have disadvantaged in supp exam Photo: Tshego Mokgabudi

RELATED ARTICLES:

Witsies react to change of awarding Law supplementary exams

by | Jul 25, 2014 | News

Early Preparation: First week of the second semester and already Michael Fellington is studying. Photo: Nqobile Dludla

Early Preparation: First week of the second semester and already Michael Fellington is studying. Photo: Nqobile Dludla

Law students have mixed reactions to an announcement that they will no longer be able to write supplementary exams, provided that they are in their final year.

The thought of repeating a year if you fail an exam has left some Law students worried about the length of their degree.

Sanele Maluleke, 4th year LLB, said: “I don’t think it’s fair because the degree itself is hard to attain. In first year you get students who’d get 48% and 49% and need the supp to qualify for the next year. So this has an impact on the duration of when you finish your degree. I mean supps are what actually saves most students because not every student can be an A student”.

In May, an e-mail was sent to all students at the School of Law announcing that “from 2014, after the June exams, going forward the School of Law will only award supplementary exams to final year students in the LLB degree”.

Final year students will be allowed to write a supplementary examination in one course they have failed with a mark of 40%- 49%. If a student fails more than one course, he/she will have to repeat that course the following year.

First to third year students who achieve less than 50% will have to repeat the course the following year.

Zinzile Ndziba, 4th year LLB, complained that the decision “was just thrown at everyone”.

“There was no substantiating [it], it’s just something people have to accept,” Ndziba said.

“It’s not fair,” said 3rd year LLB student Anastasia Thomaids. “Supplementary exams give you pretty much a second chance when you get into an exam and fail it. Not getting that supplementary exam means that you not only don’t get a second chance to write the exam but it means that you have to repeat the course the next year and have to pay extra.”

Quality over quantity?

Other students, however, endorsed the decision based on quality over quantity.

“[I’m] Totally okay with it. That’s why we are at this institution, we’re number one now so I’m cool with it. To meet standards,” said Moswaredi Matabane, 3rd year LLB.

In the same breath, 3rd year LLB student Lis Ndlovu said: “I do think that in the long run it will produce a better quality of students. Essentially, you will work harder instead of working towards getting that 47% or 49% in the hopes of a supplementary exam. It may seem unfair but I understand the benefit that it has for the Law School and the calibre of students that the Law School sends out into the world.”

While the quality over quantity debate seems attractive to some students, Maluleke begs to differ. “I know that there’s a thing for keeping up the standard but I don’t think that it should be at the expense of the students that are in the very university that is putting them on the map,” said Maluleke

Deputy head of school, Prof. Mtende Mhango, said the decision was based on research and recommendations made by the faculty.

Assistant Dean of Commerce, Law and Management, Linda Spark is the main person behind the research conducted for the Senate Teaching and Learning Committee.

“I have presented it [research] to SET who sent it back to faculties and is still being considered. This research is part of a university wide investigation into supps and is still work in progress”, said Spark

Law Student Council (LSC) academic officer Mfundo Mdluli said: “We are engaged with talks with management. We are waiting for feedback which we are expecting by the end of the week.” Asked what kind of talks the LSC is having with management, Mdluli said he’d rather “wait until all is done and there is progress” before he discloses what the LSC is doing regarding the outcry.