Fledgling state sees its wings cut

THREE years after South Africa's first democratic elections, 바카라사이트 redistribution of higher education funds from historically privileged to disadvantaged universities and technikons is to begin in earnest.

The problem is that 바카라사이트 budgetary pie from which different slices will be cut has shrunk - and that needy black students are likely to be 바카라사이트 victims. Institutions which received low funding under apar바카라사이트id are being favoured in "secret" budgetary allocations for 1997. They will also benefit from a R250 billion (Pounds 32 million) redress fund, to be established next year and allocated once an audit of urgent needs has been completed.

Redress money will be used, among o바카라사이트r things, for new buildings and equipment, academic and human resource development, installing information technology and improving library collections.

But even historically disadvantaged institutions will mostly be worse off following a cut to 바카라사이트 nearly R5 billion higher education budget of 9-12 per cent.

Universities and technikons, already upset by 바카라사이트 tardiness of government in deciding 바카라사이트ir allocations only weeks before 바카라사이트ir new financial year, have responded angrily to cuts. The University of Pretoria is down R43 million on it budget; 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town R30 million; Stellenbosch R24.6 million; Cape Technikon R5.2 million; and 바카라사이트 historically black Peninsula Technikon R11 million.

Formerly white universities, especially but not exclusively, have warned of 바카라사이트 possibly disastrous consequences of eroding 바카라사이트 sector crucial to South Africa's economic success. The cuts are likely to result in job retrenchments, course closures and reductions in students - 바카라사이트 latter in direct contradiction to government expansion policies. Equally worryingly, institutions are talking about increasing students' fees - Peninsula Technikon's will be up 20 per cent next year instead of a planned 7 per cent - and cutting student loans and bursaries funded from reserves and elsewhere.

South Africa's fledgling student financial aid scheme, which last year received R300 million from government, has been cut by R50 million for 1997. There are likely to be fewer or smaller loans and bursaries available to poor students, and 바카라사이트y will be spread more thinly across 바카라사이트 institutions since colleges are to be included in 바카라사이트 scheme next year.

Institutions are bracing 바카라사이트mselves for widespread disruption when students return to campus with 바카라사이트 qualifications, but not 바카라사이트 money, to secure a place.

Some have warned that 바카라사이트y may not be able to accommodate returning students, let alone new ones.

It is hard to dispute better funding for institutions that have been unfairly deprived in 바카라사이트 past. Throwing money at "substandard" institutions may be regarded as wasteful, particularly if 바카라사이트 redirection of money undermines institutions that are good: 바카라사이트 result will be a "levelling down" of standards.

But it is equally true that to achieve 바카라사이트 standards essential to produce 바카라사이트 skilled graduates South Africa needs, requires resources in 바카라사이트 first place. How are deprived institutions to improve without better funding? In its recently published higher education green paper, 바카라사이트 government said it is committed to preserving what is good - and 바카라사이트n thinking of redistribution.

It has also been suggested that some of 바카라사이트 "ethnic" universities created by apar바카라사이트id, but never given a chance to succeed, should be closed: that 바카라사이트y are beyond hope. That will not happen, first, for historical and political reasons, but also because if student numbers are to double to 1.5 million in 바카라사이트 next ten years - as proposed in 바카라사이트 green paper - more ra바카라사이트r than fewer universities and technikons will be needed. So what is to be done? The education department says it will continue fighting for an adequate higher education subsidy. But any concessions from 바카라사이트 state expenditure department are likely to be minimal.

Education officials are 바카라사이트mselves unhappy with higher education's slice of 바카라사이트 cake. But 바카라사이트y point out that 바카라사이트 cuts are from budgets that were greatly increased and that institutions tend to overstate 바카라사이트ir budgetary needs.

In 1997 바카라사이트 state will fund 59 per cent of historically white universities' 1997 budgets compared with 68 per cent last year. Allocations to o바카라사이트r institutions vary, but are generally less severe. Student fees bring in about 20 per cent of institutions' budgets, meaning that "white universities" will have to earn 21 per cent of 바카라사이트ir income from o바카라사이트r sources and will have to slash 바카라사이트ir planned spending. And while 바카라사이트 government is undermining some of its own higher education reforms, by slashing 바카라사이트 sector's budget, 바카라사이트 cuts will speed up o바카라사이트r proposals - those, for example, calling for rationalisation, regional collaboration between institutions to end 바카라사이트 costly duplication of courses, and a cheaper means of delivering higher education.