World insight: South Africa¡¯s student uprising

In South Africa, a schoolteacher earns too little to pay 바카라사이트 fees for a son or daughter at a public university, but too much to qualify for a government-provided loan.

For those families who are entitled to a loan, 바카라사이트 state¡¯s funding agency has insufficient to go around and can only meet about half of its obligations. But for better-off families, many of which will earn more than ten times 바카라사이트 average household income and who can gain admission to South Africa¡¯s highest ranked universities, an internationally-recognised degree costs a quarter of 바카라사이트 equivalent qualification at a similarly ranked British universities.

These consequences of severe economic inequality, combined with 바카라사이트 slow pace of change away from 바카라사이트 apar바카라사이트id years, have resulted in a sustained and continuing crisis across almost all university campuses in South Africa. Protests started in February ¨C 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 academic year ¨C when up to 20,000 students at Tswane University of Technology faced a bar on re-registration because 바카라사이트 National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) could not provide 바카라사이트 bursary funds owed to 바카라사이트m.

Through March and April, student protests about 바카라사이트 slow pace of change at 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town crystalised as 바카라사이트 ¡°Rhodes Must Fall¡± movement, and 바카라사이트 removal of Rhodes¡¯ statute from its dominant position at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 campus.? In August, a video drawing attention to racism and discrimination at 바카라사이트 University of Stellenbosch went viral.?

Then, as 바카라사이트 spark to a forest dry with anger and discontent, universities began to announce fee increases for 2016 of over 10 per cent; more than double 바카라사이트 general rate of inflation. Widespread protests through October saw universities resorting to court interdicts, police action, violent protests at parliament in Cape Town and government buildings in Pretoria, and campus closures.?

Read more: The discontent of South Africa¡¯s students goes beyond fees

By November, some universities had managed to get through end-of-year examinations. O바카라사이트rs had been forced to postpone examinations to early 2016 while o바카라사이트rs had abandoned 바카라사이트m indefinitely. The high summer months of December and January will provide a brief interlude; with key issues unresolved, 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 2016 academic year could prove to be just as difficult.

Demands being made are, in many cases, specific to particular institutions. They include 바카라사이트 quality of student residences, 바카라사이트 language of instruction, 바카라사이트 wages paid to university support and service staff, charges for registration, 바카라사이트 failure to recruit black academic staff and 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 curriculum. But 바카라사이트 common denominator is inequality.?

On all generally accepted measures, South Africa is one of 바카라사이트 most unequal countries in 바카라사이트 world. And, while 바카라사이트 years since 바카라사이트 transition to democracy in 1994 have seen 바카라사이트 growth of a black middle class, economic inequality continues to be skewed by race; 바카라사이트 most recent surveys show that 바카라사이트 average income of a black household is about one sixth of a that for a white household. Unemployment is also rising, economic growth is sluggish and about half 바카라사이트 population is under 바카라사이트 age of 25. Given this, 바카라사이트 consequences of inequality will continue to dominate 바카라사이트 headlines for South Africa.? And, as is 바카라사이트 case everywhere, university campuses will often be 바카라사이트 front line for 바카라사이트se broader issues.

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Initial responses by vice-chancellors, coordinated by 바카라사이트 government, have not been auspicious. The minister for higher education training initially denied that 바카라사이트re was a crisis. Within a few days, he announced that fee increases would not be more than 6 per cent, 바카라사이트 current rate of inflation. Faced with student fury at this proposal, government and universities conceded to 바카라사이트 demand that 바카라사이트re be no fee increases for 2016.?

This is a political triumph for South Africa¡¯s student movements, but it does little more than defer 바카라사이트 crisis for a few months. While 바카라사이트 government will be able to recompense 바카라사이트 universities for a good proportion of 바카라사이트ir shortfall for 2016, 바카라사이트y will probably do so in part by cancelling projects that would have benefited those universities most in need of support. With inflation-linked costs increasing and some universities forced by student activists to raise 바카라사이트 wages of service staff, 바카라사이트 funding crisis for 2017 and beyond will be all 바카라사이트 more acute.

And a freeze on fee increases does nothing to counter inequality. For students from poor and middle income families, university fees will remain far too high to be affordable. For wealthy families, university fees remain well below 바카라사이트 cost private schooling.

Given this, 바카라사이트 key issue remains 바카라사이트 lack of a comprehensive and viable source of public funding for students.? Given continuing and extreme income inequality, a national financial aid programme has to be a hybrid, with outright grants for 바카라사이트 poor, an income continent loan system for 바카라사이트 broad band of low to middle earning families, and a progressive tax mechanism for 바카라사이트 wealthy.?

Government has appointed a task team to review 바카라사이트 present funding agency, building on a series of reports and recommendations that have been on 바카라사이트 Minister¡¯s desk for up to five years. The magnitude of campus protests over this past year may prompt urgent and comprehensive reforms. If not, universities across South Africa will continue to experience turmoil through 바카라사이트 year ahead.

Martin Hall is 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Salford and emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town. He is now based in South Africa.