Long registration queues have become a thing of the past at the Durban University of Technology now that most academic departments are using the online registration system.
Yesterday (10 January 2013), the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment kicked off its web registrations with the three other faculties which qualify for the system, namely Management Sciences, Arts and Design as well as Applied Sciences set to start on Monday (14 January 2013) next week.
Vusi Mazibuko, an administrative officer in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment said registration queues have dropped significantly ever since the Faculty started using online registration last year (2012).
“Online registration has made the registration process a more efficient and less time consuming process. We are able to register ten (10) to 15 students in approximately 10 minutes. The system is beneficial for everyone. Students evade the long queues while staff works faster,” he said.
According to Mazibuko, 90 percent of the registrations done at the University are now online. Currently, students need to have first submitted all necessary documents and had all registration fees paid to qualify for online registration. This is an essential segment of the registration procedure that sees the Student Admissions and Enquiries Department staff preload student particulars into the ITS web interface. Upon registering, students who have completed the first step can easy be picked up by the ITS web interface which speeds up the registration process.
Mazibuko said the manual registration steps will soon be eliminated as the institution aims to a offer a system where students can submit required documentation, make payments and register online from wherever.
Students were very impressed by the duration of the online registration. Neil Pursan, a first-year Architectural Technology student said the system is quick and simple while Nkosinathi Dlodlo, a first-year Civil Engineering student said it is efficient.
Dr Thiru Pillay, Deputy Registrar at DUT said approximately 24 000 students will be registered at the University between Monday next week (14 January 2013) and Friday 25 January 2013.
“Web registration is a quick and efficient way for students to register, provided the necessary required documentation is submitted to the DUT in time. We expect the registration process to be a smooth one, especially since registration occurs in a decentralised manner in a number of different venues, thus avoiding long queues for our students. Much planning has gone into the admission and registration processes,” said Dr Pillay.
–Naledi Hlefane
Caption: Zanele Ngcobo, a registration assistant at DUT guides Alageshwari Soobermoney, a first-year Architectural Technology student during the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment’s online registrations yesterday (10 January 2013) in the S Block computer labs.
