Graduate students left in limbo as University of Fort Hare’s speech and language therapy qualification remains unrecognized

Graduate students of the University of Fort Hare who studied the Bachelor of Science in Speech & Language Therapy find themselves in a state of uncertainty as the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has yet to recognize their qualification. Despite completing their studies in 2022 and 2023, these students are unable to graduate and face an unknown future.

Concerns about the teaching methods were raised by the students during their second year in 2019. They mentioned being taught in blocks, with guest lecturers covering entire modules in just a week or two. The head of department and university staff assured the students of the program’s accreditation through HPCSA and higher education.

Issues with practicals and the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) arose during their final year. The HPCSA was meant to oversee the OSCE but was unable to attend due to late notification. Subsequently, students were notified of insufficient clinical hours and were required to redo them. However, the HPCSA still deemed the standards unsatisfactory and denied the students registration for community service.

In 2022, the HPCSA requested the students to redo the OSCE for the second time. The HPCSA then claimed that the exit-level exam questions were inappropriate, despite previously approving them. Students were left without proper communication from the university or the HPCSA and spent most of 2022 at home.

A special intervention program was implemented by the university in 2023 to address these issues and allow registration with the HPCSA. However, students are still awaiting the results of this program, and there remains a lack of communication from both the university and the HPCSA.

The University of Fort Hare submitted a progress report to the HPCSA in November 2023, but the board requested further clarity on aspects of the improvement plan. University spokesperson JP Roodt maintains that the program is accredited and in line with the SA Qualifications Authority and HPCSA standards.

Students expressed their disappointment, anger, and emotional exhaustion due to the ongoing situation. The uncertainty surrounding their future has taken a toll on their mental health and that of their families. They urge the university and the HPCSA to provide clear answers and compensation for their efforts and sacrifices.

Several proper nouns mentioned in the article include the University of Fort Hare, Bachelor of Science in Speech & Language Therapy, HPCSA, Queenstown, Eastern Cape, Nqamakwe, JP Roodt, Christopher Tsatsawane, SA Qualifications Authority, and Lusikisiki.