Mission statement:
The mission of the College’s Student Support Services is to promote student development and give support resources and measures central to students and institutional needs.
The aims are therefore:
- To enrich the quality of student life
- To inspire and develop students (wholly)
- To be a partner in student development, both personal and academic
- To encourage alumni involvement
- To advice and promote career development and employability skills
- To support and enable equity
- To assist in the recruitment and retention of the students at the college
- To facilitate the transition to lifelong education and employment
In achieving our mission we will:
- Offer high quality programmes and services to meet our student’s personal, social, educational, vocational, financial and physical needs
- Be responsive and adapt to our students’ changing needs and for the institution
- Regularly assess and evaluate our effectiveness and relevance
- Participate in active partnership with students groups, institutions and all other stakeholders.
2.2.1 Pre-entry Support
This is the stage where the students who wish to enroll in any programmes in the college is thoroughly orientated to the college and the various study options available. The orientation program is well-structured and Student Support Services Offices and Lecturing personnel are on board to assist in the implementation of the program. The programme includes but not limited to the following:
- Career guidance, be it one on one or in groups
- Selection and Placement (CAP TEST); the test informs and educates students on a variety of career options. At the same time it gauges the student’s personal interest in the different careers on offer.
- The induction and orientation programmes to the new students
- The administration of registration/ enrolment
- Code of Conduct
Orientation and Induction:
All new students are being invited to attend orientation and induction, which assist to obtain campus information such as, but not limited to:
- Academic expectations from students and lecturing staff
- Academic related policies from DHET and College
- Services available from SSS office
- Commencements of classes(Time table)
- the college and college management
- the who’s who at the campus
- programmes offered
- college rules, student code of conduct and other related student policies,
- Student Representative Council (SRC)
- facilities and services available
- Various offices that will provide assistance during their academic stay.
Information on access to financing of the programmes/ Bursaries
NSFAS Bursary
- The NSFAS bursaries are available but they are not guaranteed – even to students who are deemed financially needy through the Means Test.
- Should a student choose not to apply for bursary, such student will be liable for full payment of his/her studies.
- Returning students who were funded by NSFAS in the previous year need not to re-apply for NSFAS, as the NSFAS will automatically continue to fund if you have made an academic progress to the next level of their programme.
- The lists of provisionally funded students are sent regularly to college by NSFAS to allow students to be advanced with allowances therefore attendance and retention is maintained.
- It is encouraged that students that at all times they must attend their classes as travel and accommodation allowance to a beneficiary who fails to meet the minimum 80% class attendance requirement for a particular month in accordance with the DHET TVET Students Attendance and Punctuality Policy 2013 will not be disbursed.
- The NSFAS 2018 Rules and Guidelines administration document is available at Student Support services Office and SRC office.
Code of conduct:
- Students who enroll in the college are recognized as responsible adults who are willing and ready to abide by the college set rules and regulations.
- The college strongly supports the constitutional rights of the students, however it also acknowledges their individual and collective responsibilities to maintain an orderly atmosphere of teaching and learning.
- The college is aware of how proud the students are about their campuses and would not want to see it damaged and the college is appreciative of that and urge the students to continue protecting such legacy!
- For security purposes, unauthorized visitors are discouraged. Continue to keep your eyes and ears open and report to security or any official staff member in the college any suspicious activity happening in your beautiful campus.
2.2.2 On-course Support
On-course support is to support students as they undertake their programme studies. It requires mainly academic support, access to personal tutors, life skills, language, maths and maths literacy support, advice on health, practical assistance and opportunities for leadership (SRC), sport and cultural development, Counselling, & etc.
Academic Support
- The College has noticed a good trend of buddy groups of study mates in the campuses, with the support of campus staff members and it is really encouraged that students continue with such groups and encouraging those who have not joined to do so. Though there is no research that has been done but we have seen a general improvement in results across all the programmes.
- Over and above other measures such as Lectures arranging extra lessons, Guest Lectures and winter lessons the college has a computerized learner support system which is available in the resource centre and or other computer rooms especially for Mathematic literacy, Mathematics and English. Do play your part!
Resource Centres
The College has Resources Centres in all campuses along with our expert staff that will help you to study and achieve your very best.
Counselling
- The College assigned the personal Counselling for the students to the well-trained Counsellors that are based at all campuses
- The Counsellors are tasked with personal counselling and are mainly responsible for referring services related to health and welfare of the students including addressing issues that are particularly impacting upon vulnerable groups such as single-headed households, women and people living with HIV/AIDS, and many others.
2.2.3 Exit Support
- This involves the provision of information and guidance on higher education and further training opportunities; the identification of opportunities for job placements; entrepreneurial skills development opportunities and the introduction
- The College has a Unit that is called Placement that is solely looking at assisting the students with Work Integrated Learning opportunities and Entrepreneurship opportunities.
- There are also SMMEs at all campuses that are the to equip students with entrepreneurial and management responsibilities in a small businesses; and how to manage the operations of the business ethically, efficiently and effectively
- Student Support Services Office also assist exiting/exited students about job requirements, preparation and/or updating CV, writing letters of application and preparing for the job interview, intending to study further and starting own business.