The Digitalisation of Elitism and Sifting? Observations on the Online Registration of First-Year University Students in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Lungile Prudence. Zondi, Stanley Osezua Ehiane, Hlabathi Maapola-Thobejane, Nkanyiso Nkazimulo Mkhize, Zukiswa Roboji
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Abstract

This paper argues that the digitalisation of university registration processes has given rise to concealed elitism. The phenomenon became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, as elite students accessed advanced medical care and education degrees while individuals from indigent families and rural communities bore the brunt of the pandemic. Drawing from the perspectives of critical emancipatory research (CER), the observational study described in this paper sought to explain students' experiences during the transition to digitalised registration processes and to identify practical solutions for the deficiencies in the new system, ensuring inclusivity for all students in the future. This observational study did not have a specific sample size but observed the groups of incoming first-year students gathered outside many university gates during the registration period in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study consequently concluded that many universities in KwaZulu-Natal are not prepared for digitalisation of student applications for several reasons: (i) the use of technology conceals elitism, a lingering aspect of the apartheid era that disenfranchises students from indigent and rural communities; (ii) universities lack reliable infrastructure, as they were not initially designed for contemporary communication and teaching methods; and (iii) the rise of technological innovation destabilises the intentions of our South African democracy and the massification agenda. This paper proposes a dual method of communication (virtual and walk-in inquiries) that would accommodate democracy and recognise people's right to education. This approach would ensure that students from different socio-economic backgrounds are accommodated in higher education institutions. The paper recommends technological innovations that do not remind black and poor students that they were once marginalised from accessing tertiary education due to systems that were not favourable to them.
精英和筛选的数字化?对南非夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省大学一年级学生在线注册的观察
本文认为,大学注册程序的数字化产生了隐蔽的精英主义。这一现象在 COVID-19 大流行期间变得十分明显,因为精英学生可以获得高级医疗保健和教育学位,而来自贫困家庭和农村社区的个人则首当其冲。本文所述的观察性研究从批判性解放研究(CER)的视角出发,试图解释学生在向数字化注册流程过渡期间的经历,并找出解决新系统不足之处的切实可行的办法,确保未来所有学生都能享受到这一服务。这项观察性研究没有特定的样本量,但观察了南非夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省许多大学在注册期间聚集在校门口的一年级新生群体。因此,研究得出结论,夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省的许多大学都没有为学生申请的数字化做好准备,原因有以下几点:(i) 技术的使用掩盖了精英主义,这是种族隔离时代挥之不去的一面,剥夺了来自贫困和农村社区的学生的权利;(ii) 大学缺乏可靠的基础设施,因为它们最初并不是为现代通信和教学方法而设计的;(iii) 技术创新的兴起破坏了南非民主和大众化议程的意图。本文提出了一种双重交流方法(虚拟交流和走读),这种方法既能适应民主,又能承认人民的受教育权。这种方法将确保来自不同社会经济背景的学生都能在高等院校就读。本文建议的技术创新不会提醒黑人和贫困学生,由于不利于他们的制度,他们曾被边缘化,无法接受高等教育。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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