President Jacob Zuma has warned universities to prepare for potential protests at the beginning of the new academic year.
The Presidency on Tuesday released an update by a presidential task team tasked with investigating and making recommendations on short-term funding problems at universities.
The task team identified four factors universities should prepare for that could lead to further student uprisings after the #FeesMustFall drive that grabbed national headlines.
The campaign was started in protest against exorbitant university fee increases for the 2016 academic year.
The four factors are: upfront fee or registration payments at the beginning of the next academic year; the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) shortfall (those who have accrued university debt due to Nsfas underfunding or not funding them); funding challenges of students who do not qualify for Nsfas funding and increased demand for academic spaces by first-time entry students and previous financial dropouts.
The task team also had to report on solutions to immediate challenges faced by universities; find ways to implement the agreement not to increase student fees for 2016 and to mitigate against possible student protests and unrest that next year.
“The task team worked within the context of a highly politicised and volatile climate on university campuses across the country related to a number of factors.
“These include calls for free university education for the poor and no fee increases for university students,” Zuma said.
The committee made several short- and medium-term recommendations to address the financial challenges.
R2.3-billion will be made available to address the shortfall for the 0% fee increase and Zuma said the government and the universities would make contributions to this amount.
“Upfront fee and registration payments should be implemented across the system for those who can afford to pay.
“Students who meet the Nsfas means test should not be required to pay upfront payments,” he said.
“The Nsfas shortfall has been quantified at R4.582 billion. The report recommends that R2.543 billion of this amount be made available from the fiscus, in the form of loans for short-term debt relief of 71 753 students who were funded inadequately or unable to access financial aid over the 2013 to 2015 academic years.
A further R2.039 billion is required in the 2016/17 financial year to ensure that currently unfunded continuing students receive Nsfas support in the 2016 academic year.
Other recommendations include Nsfas improving its administrative systems; rules pertaining to academic eligibility of students for Nsfas should be applied consistently; universities should review and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their communication systems with students on all issues including Nsfas matters and a process must be put in place immediately to develop a new financing model.
This financing model would include banks making available loans at favourable rates to students without providing surety.
This would have to be developed next year for implementation in 2017, the Presidency said.
“Investment should be solicited from the full range of stakeholders to enable implementation on the scale required.”
Zuma also said he would soon announce the members of the committee who will facilitate the introduction of free higher education.
“I believe the recommendations will assist as we pursue our mission to ensure that no poor, academically deserving student is denied access to higher education and training, and that affordable higher education for all is achieved, while ensuring sustainable quality public higher education.”
Pretoria News