The student mobilisations of the past several months have brought into stark relief the contradiction between government’s stated commitment to free education for all as promised in the Freedom Charter and its claim to be presiding over a “developmental state”, and the experience of higher education for the majority at universities.
While massive protests were sparked by an announcement that fees for tertiary education at some institutions would be increased by over 10 percent, the practice over many years of “financial exclusions” of indebted students has repeatedly sparked eruptions on campuses at the commencement of the academic year.
This has been true especially at historically disadvantaged institutions, which admit a higher percentage of students from poor families than their more advantaged counterparts.
Moreover, there are studies that reveal that many university loan recipients are going hungry rather than risk financial exclusion.
Many university academics have long insisted that the current policy for funding higher education is inimical to their efforts to address South Africa’s legacy of unequal educational opportunity.
The current challenge to the status quo is therefore an opportune moment for academics to not only express solidarity with the current movement for guaranteed access to higher education for poor students (and improved conditions of service for low-paid campus workers), but also to place the responsibility for rectifying this situation squarely at the door of government.
Our government’s expenditure on higher education compares unfavourably to most countries around the world.
While individual universities can mitigate the impact of chronic underfunding by ceasing to transfer the major responsibility for such underfunding to students, a radical change in government policy – and not only in tertiary education – is required.
In several southern countries, including Brazil, Ethiopia and India, fees for higher education are nominal or do not exist at all.
Indeed, a 2012 Ministerial Working Group Report detailed the argument for a “no fees for the poor” option and suggested how financing can be arranged differently.
Presently, apart from the wastage of talent from “financial exclusions”, students who have received loans under the NSFAS are expected to commence repayment of these when earning salaries above a derisory monthly amount of R2 500.
Contrary to the insistence by government and the private sector that free higher education for the majority of students is unaffordable, it is imperative that government find the funds needed.
For example, taxation policies could be reviewed with this objective in mind. It has been demonstrated by economists that over at least the past 10 years taxation of the highest earners, and of corporations, has been reduced.
It is argued that simply by bringing taxation of higher-income South Africans (those earning over R700 000 per year) into line with several other countries – including Norway, Japan and the UK – and closing tax loopholes, it is likely that more than enough funding could be generated to provide free higher education to the great majority of students.
This is but one of many options open to the state to raise the requisite revenue. Funding can be found but is dependent on the political, social and economic choices informing public expenditure by the state.
We, the undersigned academics and staff, in solidarity with the student demands, call on our government to abolish payment for tertiary education for at least the majority of poor students and to meet the shortfall in university funding by radically reviewing taxation policy and budgetary allocations, with particular focus on corporate tax and tax avoidance, and on the top bracket of income earners.
Such a move may alienate a tiny minority but would be a much-needed and cost-effective intervention towards a more equitable and sustainable South Africa.
Wits
Joel Quirk
Hylton White
Sonwabile Mnwana
Kelly Gillespie
Jonathan Stadler
Shireen Hassim
Gavin Capps
Moshibudi Motimele
Jacklyn Cock
UJ
Brenden Gary
E Prinsloo
Pier Paolo Frassinelli
Linda Chisholm
Leila Kajee OR
Amira Osman
UWC
David Sanders
Ben Cousins
Gavin Reagon
Nikki Schaay
Moenieba Isaacs
Shirley Brooks
Desiree Lewis
Salim Vally
Ursula Arends
Alex Dubb
Rebecca Pointer
Mnqobi Ngubane
Peter van Heusden
Roy Maartens
Helene Schneider
Lucy Graham
Diane Cooper
Gillian Kerchhoff
Shirley Walters
Fairuz Mullagee
Heidi Grunebaum
Uta Lehmann-Grube
Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie
Suren Pillay
Lucia Knight
Gillian Kerchhoff
Jane Versfeld
Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie
Suren Pillay
Paolo Israel
Lucia Knight
Mary Hames
Arona Dison
Karen Wallace
Margie Probyn
Abdullah Bayat
Michael Wessels
Emmanuel Sulle
Kira Schmidt
Zodwa Linda
Bradley Rink
Kaashiefa Mobarak
Anthea Josias
Charlyn Dyers
Donavon Hiss
Alan Ralphs
Mary Hames
Debra Jackson
Arona Dison
Vivienne Bozalek
Romeel Dave
Thandi Puoane
Desiree Abrahams-Marra
Delia Marshall
Amiena Peck
Megan Adams
Philip Hirschsohn
Kenneth Goodman
Diana Gibson
Raymond Koen
Nicky Rousseau
Wendy Wicks
Chesne Albertus
Keith Gottschalk
Karen Collett
UCT
Rachel Wynberg
Sophie Oldfield
Nicoli Nattrass
Sara Matchett
Amrita Pande
Horman Chitonge
Jeremy Seekings
Owen Crankshaw
Monique Atouguia
Andrew Argent
Leslie London
Abigail Parenzee
Michelle Pressend
Graeme Meintjes
Kate Rees
Di McIntyre
Karen Barnes
Theresa Lorenzo
Pat Mayers
Susan Levine
Judy Favish
Reno Morar
Marsha Orgill
Chris Colvin
Theresa Lorenzo
Susan Levine
Pat Mayers
Landon Myer
Linda Cooper
Lungisile Ntsebeza
Linda Ganca
Derek Hellenberg
Nadia Hartman
Kirsty Donald
Steve Reid
Helen Buchanan
Robert Morrell
Pamela Schwikkard
Jonathan Grossman
Marion Heap
Melanie Alperstein
Steve Reid
Kirsty Donald
Kristen Daskilewicz
Tasleem Ras
Helen Buchanan
Robert Morrell
Jonathan Grossman
Virginia Zwigenthal
Tolullah Oni
Lucy Gilson
Liesl Peters
Helen MacDonald
Shajila Singh
Sheila Clow
Seyi Amosun
UKZN
Stephen Knight
Nkosana Jafta
Frances Lund
Marc Blockman
Dr Betty Govinden
Nomfundo Kakaza
Margaret Daymond
Johan Jacobs
Jane Quin
Rhodes
Michael Joseph
Esther Ramani
Mala Singh
Tshwane University of Technology, Stellenbosch
Rasigan Maharajh
University of Fort Hare
Enver Motala
Brian Ramadiro
NMMU
Lulonke Ndobe
Aletta Delport
Shervani Pillay
Lulonke Ndobe
Sylvan Blignaut
Irna Senekal
Nadeema Jogee
Aletta Delport
Frank Matose
Aragorn Eloff
Mats Benner
Seshi Chonco
Rabelani Neluvhola
Liz Sparg
Yelena Smirnova
Brenden Gray
Roxy de Villiers
Deidre Geduld
Ivor Baatjes
Robin Notshulwana
Maarten de Wit
Catherine Kell
Carmel Mahomed
Jung Ran Forte
Lucky Maluleke
Mohammed Ishaaq
Max Santos
Nomakhosazana Hazel
Goedele Louwagie
Carl Magnus
Manuel Gonzalo
James Irlam
Jenny Josefsson
Babitseng Thekiso
Sue Fawcus
Alexandre Vera-Cruz
Cavin Witbooi
Shana Graham
Cherise Henn
Smarajit Triambak
Monde Mbekwa
Umesh Bawa
Chivaugn Gordon
Eric Mwambene
M Minnaar-McDonald
Meshay Moses
Namhla Matshanda
Sue Mcwatts
Shaheen Khan
Nthabiseng Dlamini
Allan Dahl Andersen
Andisiwe Nakani
Ilana Cilliers
Verna Oliphant
Pilar Pringiers
Mabitja Moeta
Nathaniel Joselson
Cathy Mathews
Myrna van Pinxteren
Liz Gwyther