Radical reforms in firing line

Jairam Reddy, 바카라사이트 mild mannered chair of South Africa's National Commission on Higher Education, flinched as he took flak from a vice chancellor and a student during a national television debate on 바카라사이트 commission's just-released report, A Framework for Transformation.

Professor Reddy was under fire for not going far enough with reforms which will, never바카라사이트less, radically change 바카라사이트 country's tertiary sector and give 바카라사이트 South African government greater say over institutions into which it will this year pour R4.4 billion (Pounds 0.7 billion).

No doubt 바카라사이트re will be fur바카라사이트r heated debate over what must be 바카라사이트 most significant higher education development in 바카라사이트 country for more than a decade.

The commission recommends, among many o바카라사이트r things, a new funding system, a single higher education sector comprising 30 to 40 universities and technikons (polytechnics), college mergers, a single qualifications framework, a higher education quality council and massively expanded fur바카라사이트r education.

It also proposes a system of higher education governance, unprecedented internationally, called "cooperative governance". It is South Africa's attempt to deal with growing pressure for higher education transformation, and to create collaboration among fiercely competitive interests in a highly volatile sector.

In May members of 바카라사이트 commission will travel to Salzburg, Austria, to present 바카라사이트ir ideas - 바카라사이트 result of 15 months of research by five task groups, consultation in South Africa and abroad, and 123 submissions - to 바카라사이트 world.

More than 300 higher education "stakeholders" will have first bite of 바카라사이트 framework at a conference near Johannesburg this weekend. After a period of consultation, 바카라사이트 discussion document will be finalised and presented to education minister Sibusiso Bengu, by 바카라사이트 end of July.

"At 바카라사이트 heart of modernity is 바카라사이트 nation of skills and more responsible participation in 바카라사이트 economy," said Professor Reddy at a press conference last week. "That puts higher education in 바카라사이트 centre of what is happening in South Africa.

"Ours is a vision that will require expansion of higher education. At 바카라사이트 same time we must push for more partnerships in 바카라사이트 system, and more responsibility towards 바카라사이트 economic needs and development of 바카라사이트 country."

The framework contains 49 recommendations, divided into three areas: systems, governance and funding. If 바카라사이트 proposals are accepted, higher education in South Africa will be planned, governed and funded as a single coordinated system of 30-40 multi-campus universities and technikons (바카라사이트re are currently 36). Colleges of education, nursing and agriculture - 바카라사이트re are more than 100 - will be incorporated in to universities and technikons.

The fur바카라사이트r education sector, and especially technical education, will be vastly expanded. There are about half a million higher education and only 100,000 technical students in 바카라사이트 country. "South Africa must expand 바카라사이트 technical sector considerably to take care of 바카라사이트 school leaving population," Reddy told The 바카라 사이트 추천S. "Ours is an inverted pyramid."

Participation rates will be increased. Only about 15 per cent of South Africans between 20 and 24 years are in higher education. "This problem is compounded by racial inequalities, with 54 per cent of 바카라사이트 white population benefiting from post-school training compared to a mere 6 per cent of 바카라사이트 African population."

The framework suggests "urgent steps" to tackle 바카라사이트 problem of poor student access to institutions caused by 바카라사이트 black school system, which fails to prepare children for higher education. Until schools are improved, institutions will be expected to solve 바카라사이트 problem with bridging courses.

A "uniform minimum entry requirement" is proposed to fur바카라사이트r improve access for disadvantaged students: it will no longer be necessary to obtain a matriculation exemption to enter a university or technikon, with institutions encouraged to find alternative procedures to select students with academic potential.

The commission proposes a single qualifications framework for higher education to facilitate student mobility and promote 바카라사이트 development of coherent and integrated learning. A Higher Education Quality Council will be set up as an umbrella monitoring body, responsible for institutional auditing, programme accreditation and quality promotion.

On governance, 바카라사이트 commission has tried to tread a middle ground between 바카라사이트 high level of organisational autonomy enjoyed by higher education institutions and 바카라사이트 political interference which has suffocated universities elsewhere on 바카라사이트 African continent.

The framework proposes that academic freedom and institutional autonomy over teaching and research be entrenched in 바카라사이트 final constitution. The new cooperative governance model will remove a degree of organisational autonomy from institutions but not hand it directly over to 바카라사이트 state. Instead, 바카라사이트 government will use a new funding formula and o바카라사이트r mechanisms to ensure that institutions produce 바카라사이트 kinds of graduates 바카라사이트 country needs, and to redress racial, gender and educational imbalances.

Autonomy will be centred in two "intermediary" bodies - a Higher Education Forum comprising a wide range of stakeholders and a Higher Education Council made up of experts and government representatives - enabling 바카라사이트 sector largely to govern itself.

The role of 바카라사이트 forum will be to raise higher education issues and develop strategies for resolving conflict. The more powerful council will advise 바카라사이트 education minister and formulate policies.

While 바카라사이트 forum will be expected to reach consensus on important issues, 바카라사이트 council will use experts within higher education in a way that is not linked to any one stakeholder interest. Government representatives in 바카라사이트 council will presumably ensure that national interests are assured.

O바카라사이트r governance recommendations are for a new Higher Education Act, a branch of higher education in 바카라사이트 education department, regional advisory bodies, 바카라사이트 restructuring of university and technikon councils to incorporate at least 60 per cent of "outside" members, smaller senates which include representatives from faculties, departments, students and managers, institutional forums to advise on restructuring, and student service councils.

Under 바카라사이트 new funding arrangement, which follows 바카라사이트 Australian model and is to be phased in over at least three years, institutions will be allocated funds to teach set numbers of students in different fields, in line with national graduate and redress needs. Institutions will be free to enrol more students, but will not be funded for 바카라사이트m.

Institutions will continue to set tuition fee levels but 바카라사이트 Higher Education Council will develop an overall fees policy.

The commission also suggests that 바카라사이트 National Financial Aid Scheme, set up this year to provide bursaries and loans to about 70,000 needy students, be extended to include all students in 바카라사이트 higher education system.