The South African Union of Students (SAUS) has expressed its lack of confidence in the commission of inquiry into tertiary education fees.
The federation of 26 student representative councils of the country’s universities have called for free education for poor people starting next year.
On Wednesday‚ the first day of the hearings facilitated by the fees commission‚ SAUS expressed it dissatisfaction that the commission would not be able to make a recommendation on this matter before the end of the year.
Wits vice-chancellor Adam Habib told the commission that state subsidies to the universities had declined over the past 16 years‚ forcing universities to increase fees.
This meant the poor were unable to access higher education.
“The challenge we confront is a challenge of our ambitions and resources. We have to increase access to education‚ to healthcare. What we have got to figure out is how we get there‚” Habib said.
He said the issue of subsidies had to be addressed so that universities did not have to increase their fees.
The university proposed a hybrid model in which the state and private sector contribute to a fund to ensure that students who were academically deserving should not be kicked out due to lack of funds.
Habib also said that students who have passed matric‚ “must have other options. If you don’t go to university‚ you will still land up with a future“.
Habib said there was a need to create options such as vocational training.
“At the moment‚ there are many students that would be more appropriately located in Technical Vocational Education and Training (Tvet) system. Three to four million young people are sitting at home. start making sure that the four million are in Tvet colleges.”
The commission was appointed by President Jacob Zuma earlier this year following protests by university students last year against the high costs of university education.
The commission was established in January to inquire into‚ report on and make recommendations on the feasibility of fee-free higher education and training.
Student federation voices lack of confidence in fees inquiry
The federation of 26 student representative councils of the country’s universities have called for free education for poor people starting next year.
On Wednesday‚ the first day of the hearings facilitated by the fees commission‚ SAUS expressed it dissatisfaction that the commission would not be able to make a recommendation on this matter before the end of the year.
Wits vice-chancellor Adam Habib told the commission that state subsidies to the universities had declined over the past 16 years‚ forcing universities to increase fees.
This meant the poor were unable to access higher education.
“The challenge we confront is a challenge of our ambitions and resources. We have to increase access to education‚ to healthcare. What we have got to figure out is how we get there‚” Habib said.
He said the issue of subsidies had to be addressed so that universities did not have to increase their fees.
The university proposed a hybrid model in which the state and private sector contribute to a fund to ensure that students who were academically deserving should not be kicked out due to lack of funds.
Habib also said that students who have passed matric‚ “must have other options. If you don’t go to university‚ you will still land up with a future“.
Habib said there was a need to create options such as vocational training.
“At the moment‚ there are many students that would be more appropriately located in Technical Vocational Education and Training (Tvet) system. Three to four million young people are sitting at home. start making sure that the four million are in Tvet colleges.”
The commission was appointed by President Jacob Zuma earlier this year following protests by university students last year against the high costs of university education.
The commission was established in January to inquire into‚ report on and make recommendations on the feasibility of fee-free higher education and training.
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