UCT's race admission policy under fire

Well this is bollocks. Any potential students feeling they can't get into university based on their race needs to set a precedent by defending their constitutional right in court. Why this hasn't happened yet is beyond me. I would never tolerate being discimated against based on my race and the costitution (and therefore law) states I don't have to tolerate it.
 
It's not exactly cheap to take it to court. I would imagine this is why most students don't take it to court.
 
I think we should adopt a policy centered around the less fortunate and not base it on colour at all. I feel we are past this now.
 
This is a pretty big debate at UCT atm. It all started when the VC was asked to review the policy and upon simply hearing this SASO (ANCYC aligned) put up posters accusing the SRC and VC of racism.

Most seem to favour the idea of introducing other measures - socio-economic factors such as income, school etc. - along with race for now with the aim of phasing out race being part of the admissions policy. I'm pretty sure most of the uni would favour that, but SASO and co are bound to make a big fight of it.
 
The issue has also been in the public eye following the Freedom Front Plus's youth campus spokesman, James Kemp, lodging a complaint with the Human Rights Commission and slamming as unconstitutional the UCT medical school's admissions guidelines that black students obtain an average of 74%, coloureds 78%, Indians 88% and whites 91% on their National Senior Certificate.
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One could read this as whites are cleverer than Indians > Coloureds > Blacks :eek:

Fact remains, as wrong as this is, this is only for admission to medical school. Once admitted, everyone writes the same exams and you still need the same results to become a doctor.
 
Slootvreter said:
One could read this as whites are cleverer than Indians > Coloureds > Blacks :eek:

Fact remains, as wrong as this is, this is only for admission to medical school. Once admitted, everyone writes the same exams and you still need the same results to become a doctor.
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As a black person I would think this whole AA/BEE/quota undermines me - especially if I'm good at what I do yet many still view me as window dressing. Especially considering all these candidates come from the same education system (supposedly). The systems benefits nobody.

In this instance I can guarantee you it is of little concern for UCT as someone who gained 74% average on their senior certificate because they will not finish medical school. The rigorous exams will ensure that these "lower end of the bell curve" students never become qualified.
 
timgaul said:
In this instance I can guarantee you it is of little concern for UCT as someone who gained 74% average on their senior certificate because they will not finish medical school. The rigorous exams will ensure that these "lower end of the bell curve" students never become qualified.
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I agree. Perhaps it is just to give those individuals a fair shot, at which they are more than likely to fail, because the medical exams are of international standard (any other university degree for that matter).
 
That's not the point.

The point is: There are say 40 places for first years. 20 go to people with low marks. 60 people are rejected due to race quotas despite having higher marks than the 20. Some of those 20 don't make it through medical school. So out of 100 potential applicants, 20 pass and up to 20 slots are wasted.

I think to solve the problem in the interim, there has to be an entrance exam for medical school. They should derive a test with a broad range of carefully chosen questions and problems to judge important criteria that help people make it through medical school. Then the admission policy is just an initial filter. From this qualifying group, only those that pass the entrance exam are actually given places.
 
Gaz{M} said:
That's not the point.

The point is: There are say 40 places for first years. 20 go to people with low marks. 60 people are rejected due to race quotas despite having higher marks than the 20. Some of those 20 don't make it through medical school. So out of 100 potential applicants, 20 pass and up to 20 slots are wasted.

I think to solve the problem in the interim, there has to be an entrance exam for medical school. They should derive a test with a broad range of carefully chosen questions and problems to judge important criteria that help people make it through medical school. Then the admission policy is just an initial filter. From this qualifying group, only those that pass the entrance exam are actually given places.
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That system is called high school. If you cannot get top marks at school you will struggle your butt off passing a medical degree.
 
basically what they are doing is creating the impression.. that if you want to go to a doctor go to a white one because he had to get 91% and the counterpart only 80%.... who do you want looking st your problemsll.. they are just creating future racism........ as oppose to biting the bullet and fixing the problem... look to the future... sent the bar standard and high... for the people who can't get in now.. unlucky.. at least the kids still studing at school know what they have to hit and havee some time to get it...
 
Yet not all agree, and the policy is defended by the South African Students Congress (Sasco), the ANC Youth League and President Jacob Zuma.
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Funny how those two "leaders" both were not what most would call top students..... Jealousy maybe?
 
Hmm, I think that a person who was really disadvantaged and had to go through high school without a decent math teacher etc. and gets 74 will do well in university.

I had a friend who had to basically teach himself and just made it into university, but when he got in, he fared better than most who got above 90.

Similarly I had a friend who got far above 90% and could not handle university.

The problem with the policy being defined on race is that there are black, indian and coloured people going to top schools, and a person in a top school who gets less than 70% should not go to university - because he got a good education and did not make the most of it (or could not)
 
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