Through the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies (“Cape SAJBD”) engagement with the Registrar, Deputy Registrar and Ombudsman for Stellenbosch University over complaints it had received by members of its community that tests had been scheduled for Yom Tov, a new “Religious and Cultural Days” policy has been adopted by the University for 2022. This policy states that no assessments will be scheduled on the listed dates, but the University will remain “open and operational”.

The dates include:

Chinese New Year
Passover (Pesach)
Eid-ul-Fitr (tentative)
Eid-ul-Adha (tentative)
Rosh Hashanah
Yom Kippur
Diwali

The Cape SAJBD acts to protect and advance the rights, status and welfare of the Western Cape Jewish community. To do this, it uses three pillars: engage, educate and empower.

Now, students whose religious and cultural practices do not conform to the majority can be assured that their access to assessment opportunities are not hindered. This important step by the University to formally acknowledge and accommodate religious diversity should be celebrated by all faiths and communities.

In order to build a South Africa that belongs to all and where we are truly united in our diversity, we must empower minority groups to be heard and respected in all social spaces. Read Stellenbosch University’s Religious and Cultural Days policy here.