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12 February 2025 | Story Lacea Loader
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On 12 February 2025, disruption of academic activities occurred on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS); this followed the disruptions that occurred on 11 February 2025. On the Qwaqwa Campus, attempts to disrupt academic activities also occurred on 12 February 2024.

A memorandum of demands from the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) was handed over to the university management on 11 February 2025, to which management responded; these demands are related to registration and funding. 

Financial concessions have been granted to students on two occasions so far this year to enable them to register. On 10 February 2025, the university granted follow-up concessions.

Furthermore, the institution’s Financial Working Group (FWG) – which includes representatives from the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) – met regularly to determine how it could best assist students to register, taking into consideration the financial constraints of the university.

On the Bloemfontein Campus, 15 students were arrested on 12 February 2025 for transgression of the interdict; internal disciplinary processes are being instituted.

The university’s Protection Services has activated its protest management security escalation plan in accordance with the UFS Protest Management Policy; the situation on the campuses is being closely monitored.

All classes are continuing as normal, and no classes have been suspended. 

It is important to note the NSFAS-related progress made up until now: 

  • NSFAS funding has been confirmed and allocated to 25 551 students.
  • 22 246 of these students have already been successfully registered for the academic year.
  • NSFAS allowances were paid to 14 303 registered students on 3 February 2025.
  • On 17 February 2025, interim allowances will be paid to 7 943 students who were not registered at the time of the first round of payments.
Financial concessions have been granted to students during two occasions so far this year. On 10 February 2025, the university granted the following follow-up concessions: 

1. NSFAS-funded students

Criteria:

  • NSFAS funding for 2025 must be confirmed and reflected on the acknowledgement of debt (AOD) or registration verification document.
  • Historic debt may not exceed R35 000.

Concessions:

  • No payment is required.
  • Students will be eligible for full registration.

Criteria: 

  • NSFAS funding for 2025 must be confirmed and reflected on the acknowledgement of debt (AOD) or registration verification document.
  • Historic debt exceeding R35 000 but not exceeding R50 000.
      Concessions:
  • No payment is required.
  • Students will be eligible for provisional registration. Provisional registration applications must be submitted, and all other terms and conditions will apply.
2. Returning self-paying South African students:

Criteria:
  • Historic debt must not exceed R35 000.
  • Must sign an acknowledgment of debt (AOD).
Concessions:
  • No payment is required.
  • Students will be eligible for provisional registration. Provisional registration applications must be submitted, and all other terms and conditions will apply.
3. Final-year students:
  • Students with an average mark of above 60% were assisted with Monitoring bursaries.
  • 2025 final-year students with an average mark of between 50% and 60% will be assisted with the following concessions.  
Criteria:
  • Final-year students with a pass rate of between 50 and 60% and with outstanding fees up to a maximum of R60 000 to register provisionally.
Concessions:
  • No payment is required.
  • Students must complete a provisional registration application and attach an AOD, covering historic debt plus the first payment required for 2025 registration. 
4. Postgraduate students 
  • The Department of Finance is in contact with the Centre for Postgraduate Support to fast-track funding confirmations.
  • Postgraduate students who have studied at other institutions and wish to register at the UFS must contact Student Finance for possible assistance with registration.

News Archive

Prototype film degree introduced for Kovsies
2015-06-11

 

As of 2015, the university’s postgraduate prospectus was modified to include a new Bachelor of Arts Honours in Film and Visual Media course in the Faculty of the Humanities.

A group of eight pilot students are being exposed to basics studies in film history, research, and practical production exercises. The programme’s prototypical nature lies in its inter-disciplinary approach, which means students will integrate film history and theory with individual short film production. 

According to the Programme Committee, “the two parts enrich each other, so students’ practical work is conceptually much stronger, and their written work is more balanced.”

“While other universities locally and abroad do offer film qualifications, the emphasis usually falls on either the history and theory of film, or the making of films.  Our programme is the only one in South Africa (that we know of) that offers this specific kind of integration.”

Chris Vorster, Dr Anthea van Jaarveld, Prof Helene Strauss, and Johanet Kriel are responsible for lecturing, and providing personalised supervision to students. These lecturers form part of a Programme Committee, which also includes Prof Annie van den Oever, Cloete DeBeer, and Martin Rossouw.

The university has built a multi-camera studio, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, editing facilities, and an intimate movie theatre to facilitate a thorough teaching and learning process.

Rethabile Radebe, one of the students, says she values the teaching approach of the lecturers, highlighting the positive impact of constructive criticism they offer. “My self-confidence is much better so I think, even though they help you academically for you to get your grades correctly, they also help you as a person. When you’ve done well, they don’t forget to tell you.”

This student’s views run parallel to Kriel’s, which are to “help students to perform at their best, and to develop and align our curriculum better for next year,” when an additional seven students are to be accommodated. The university, in collaboration with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, is modelling the curriculum to ensure holistic film education. 

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