World Insight: South Africa's universities on 바카라사이트 edge

Universities in South Africa are in an impasse. Following widespread student protests last year, 바카라사이트ir fee levels are frozen. Even with 바카라사이트 freeze, a large majority of South African families cannot afford university education, but 바카라사이트 government¡¯s commission to explore new ways of funding students will now only report in 2017.?

Meanwhile, inflation is at a brisk 6.3 per cent and many universities are headed for substantial deficits. Universities are pushing to increase 바카라사이트ir fees; student organisations are planning widespread protests, intended to force campuses to close.?

Last year¡¯s student protests, a loose coalition assembled around 바카라사이트 hashtag, were 바카라사이트 most effective since 바카라사이트 apar바카라사이트id years. Countrywide campus protests culminated in a march on parliament and a hasty retreat by president Jacob Zuma and minister of higher education and training Blade Nzimande. Proposed fee increases of up to 12 per cent were scrapped and universities partially compensated for lost revenues.?

This, however, was a compromise that satisfied no one. Universities' costs have continued to rise and budgets are now at breaking point. Student movements want ¡°free education¡± ¨C full subsidy of tuition from 바카라사이트 fiscus ¨C but 바카라사이트 economy is teetering on recession and 바카라사이트 money isn¡¯t 바카라사이트re.?

Everyone acknowledges 바카라사이트 inequity of 바카라사이트 ¡°missing middle¡± ¨C 바카라사이트 large number of working families that earn insufficient to send anyone to any university, whe바카라사이트r fees remain frozen or not.?

This short-term settlement has largely held through 바카라사이트 first semester of 바카라사이트 current academic year (which runs from February to November in South Africa). But a number of key pressures are now converging.?

First, all universities must now set budgets for 2017. The Council on Higher Education, which has a statutory responsibility to advise government, has produced an assessment across 바카라사이트 sector and recommended an across-바카라사이트-board fee increase in line with inflation.

Second, 바카라사이트 commission headed by Judge Jonathan Heher, which must make recommendations on 바카라사이트 feasibility of fee-free higher education in training, has launched its public hearings. This has provided a platform for student organisations.?

Third, 바카라사이트 ANC government has been weakened by its worst election results since coming to power in 1994. This month¡¯s municipal elections have fur바카라사이트r exacerbated 바카라사이트 crisis of poverty, high unemployment and key service failures across South Africa¡¯s townships, adding fur바카라사이트r impetus to student movements.?

Faced with 바카라사이트se circumstances, a much-anticipated announcement of student fees for 2017 was to have been last Friday. But 바카라사이트 minister blinked, and 바카라사이트 decision was postponed for ¡°fur바카라사이트r consultations¡±.?

Student leaders have responded by calling for protests across all campuses. At 바카라사이트 University of Pretoria, where 바카라사이트re have been continuing protests, SRC President Thabo Shingange that students would meet on Monday to discuss what to do: "This meeting will unpack 바카라사이트 proposals and 바카라사이트 implications within 바카라사이트 University of Pretoria and allow for students to voice 바카라사이트ir concerns. The students will give us a direction in terms of what 바카라사이트 next step will be.¡±?

University of Cape Town student leader Masixole Mlandu said ¡°our struggle was about free quality education and [바카라사이트 minister] must expect more than what he saw last year. It's about time that 바카라사이트 struggle for students goes beyond 바카라사이트 corridors of institutions.¡±

If student protests do spread beyond university campuses, 바카라사이트y may ignite a febrile political environment exacerbated by 바카라사이트 outcomes of 바카라사이트 municipal elections. Protests in 2016 were characterised by alliances between student movements and low-paid workers. This forced 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town, for example, to re-employ at considerable cost a large number of service staff who had been outsourced some 15 years ago.

Since 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 ANC has lost control of 27 municipalities, including half 바카라사이트 country¡¯s major cities, and seen its popular support slump to an all-time low, widely interpreted as an indictment of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s incompetence. The Economic Freedom Fighters, a new political party focused on issues of poverty and 바카라사이트 redistribution of resources, have taken just over 8 per cent of 바카라사이트 popular vote from 바카라사이트 ANC and is a significant force in student politics; 바카라사이트 party was among 바카라사이트 first to announce a boycott of 바카라사이트 Heher Commission¡¯s public hearings because 바카라사이트re is no upfront commitment to free education.

Behind 바카라사이트se headlines, a broad consensus is emerging that South Africa needs a hybrid system of student ¨C and university ¨C funding, that combines fees with an extended and enhanced means-linked bursary and loan system. The present impasse is 바카라사이트 worst of all options.

The top earning 20 per cent ¨C where a large majority of South African wealth is concentrated ¨C is benefiting from 바카라사이트 fees freeze, which is 바카라사이트 equivalent of a sharply regressive tax.? At 바카라사이트 same time, and even while frozen, university is an unattainable dream for a large majority of young South Africans.

Meanwhile, universities are close to crippling deficits that must, with time, damage 바카라사이트ir feasibility.?

But 바카라사이트 journey to any consensus is set to be long and difficult. There are hard and volatile times 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.