President Jacob Zuma announced yesterday that the state would supply the lion’s share of the R2.3-billion needed to finance universities next year because of the zero-increase in student fees.
Zuma was speaking at Reconciliation Day celebrations at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s Missionvale campus in Port Elizabeth.
The state would fork out 83% of the R2.3-billion from next month, he said.
Addressing about 2500 people in what was believed to be his first official appearance since the eventful reappointment of Pravin Gordhan as finance minister on Sunday, a calm and jovial Zuma said the short-term solution to the freeze in fees was in the process of being implemented.
Zuma appointed a task team comprising vice- chancellors, student leaders and government officials to look at how universities would cope next year after the government decided against a fee hike following nationwide protests by students.
“The R2.3-billion that is required will be shared among government and universities.
“Universities have already received allocation letters addressing the financial shortfall – 50% of government’s portion of the shortfall, of which 83% will be transferred to institutions in January,” he said to applause.
“And the rest in April. Universities are responsible for the rest. We trust that we will work well together in the new year to ensure that all students receive education and are not hindered from doing so by unruly elements on some campuses.”
At some campuses the #FeesMustFall protests descended into chaos, with police shooting at students to disperse crowds.
Zuma said it was encouraging to see students of different races marching together for the same cause, as happened during the protests.
The president said parents should also play a positive role in their children’s education, as opposed to “leaving everything” to the government and universities.
He dedicated most of his 47-minute-long Reconciliation Day speech to calling for a “healing process” for South Africa, which he said was crucial to efforts to achieve true reconciliation.
“Since 1994 … we have not deliberately created the space for people to heal through telling the stories of the brutality of the past and to share their experiences.
“People should tell their stories. We want to hear stories of mothers in the townships and villages. Stories of MK combatants, former political prisoners, former detainees and ordinary people, who daily faced a difficult life under the apartheid regime,” Zuma said.
From next year, Zuma said there would be programmes in which citizens would share their stories as part of the healing process.
State funding for varsities to be increased – president
Zuma was speaking at Reconciliation Day celebrations at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s Missionvale campus in Port Elizabeth.
The state would fork out 83% of the R2.3-billion from next month, he said.
Addressing about 2500 people in what was believed to be his first official appearance since the eventful reappointment of Pravin Gordhan as finance minister on Sunday, a calm and jovial Zuma said the short-term solution to the freeze in fees was in the process of being implemented.
Zuma appointed a task team comprising vice- chancellors, student leaders and government officials to look at how universities would cope next year after the government decided against a fee hike following nationwide protests by students.
“The R2.3-billion that is required will be shared among government and universities.
“Universities have already received allocation letters addressing the financial shortfall – 50% of government’s portion of the shortfall, of which 83% will be transferred to institutions in January,” he said to applause.
“And the rest in April. Universities are responsible for the rest. We trust that we will work well together in the new year to ensure that all students receive education and are not hindered from doing so by unruly elements on some campuses.”
At some campuses the #FeesMustFall protests descended into chaos, with police shooting at students to disperse crowds.
Zuma said it was encouraging to see students of different races marching together for the same cause, as happened during the protests.
The president said parents should also play a positive role in their children’s education, as opposed to “leaving everything” to the government and universities.
He dedicated most of his 47-minute-long Reconciliation Day speech to calling for a “healing process” for South Africa, which he said was crucial to efforts to achieve true reconciliation.
“Since 1994 … we have not deliberately created the space for people to heal through telling the stories of the brutality of the past and to share their experiences.
“People should tell their stories. We want to hear stories of mothers in the townships and villages. Stories of MK combatants, former political prisoners, former detainees and ordinary people, who daily faced a difficult life under the apartheid regime,” Zuma said.
From next year, Zuma said there would be programmes in which citizens would share their stories as part of the healing process.
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