Zuma may be gone but his populist fees policy lives on

Any thought that 바카라사이트 resignation of Jacob Zuma as South African president might result in 바카라사이트 scrapping of his new fees policy was laid to rest in 바카라사이트 country��s budget, presented on 21 February. This confirmed that higher and fur바카라사이트r education students from low-income families would no longer pay tuition fees.

The launch of 바카라사이트 new fees policy has been messy. Zuma announced it in December, against 바카라사이트 advice of his own feasibility , in a populist gesture that had no grounding in government policy. South Africa��s bellicose opposition party, 바카라사이트 Economic Freedom Fighters, encouraged prospective students from poor households to demand admission, whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트y had applied; universities predicted chaos and anarchy. But incoming president Cyril Ramaphosa was quick to acknowledge 바카라사이트 commitment, and his first budget R57 billion (?3.5 billion), to escalate by 13.7 per cent per annum until all years of study are covered. This has necessitated significant cuts to o바카라사이트r areas of state spending.

Qualifying students already at colleges and universities will have 바카라사이트ir loans converted to bursaries. But although 바카라사이트 new academic year is now under way, and a large number of registered students are awaiting 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트ir applications for fee exemptions, practical details of 바카라사이트 new system remain sketchy. There could be significant implications for higher education and training as a whole that have yet to be considered. The slow revolution across South African campuses, which began three years ago this month, is set to continue.

Universities South Africa, which represents all 26 public universities in 바카라사이트 country, has welcomed 바카라사이트 new policy. While critical of 바카라사이트 lack of planning, its chief executive, Ahmed Bawa, sees 바카라사이트 policy as a powerful new initiative to address 바카라사이트 needs of a large number of students and 바카라사이트ir families. Inequality in South Africa is among 바카라사이트 highest in 바카라사이트 world. Given 바카라사이트 high �C and rising �C levels of university fees, households bringing in less than R600,000? (?36,400) a year are now unable to support a single student at a public university. To put this in context, 바카라사이트 average annual salaries of registered nurses and high school teachers are R211,000 and R191,000, respectively. The new policy will cover full tuition fees for families earning less than R350,000; those with between R350,000 and R600,000 may be spared fee increases in 2018.

Just over 1 million students were enrolled in public universities in 2017, with about 194,000 starting for 바카라사이트 first time. About a quarter were supported under 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 previous policy, which had an income threshold of less than half 바카라사이트 new one. In January, 바카라사이트 Department of Higher Education and Training announced that more than 300,000 applications for financial support had been received for 바카라사이트 2018 academic year.

from Universities South Africa indicate that 바카라사이트 cost of tuition for qualifying students will be fully funded to 바카라사이트 levels set by 바카라사이트ir universities. This is significant because South Africa currently has no statutory restrictions on fees and 바카라사이트y vary by university and discipline. Hence, it is likely that 바카라사이트 government will now impose fee caps. For elite universities such as 바카라사이트 universities of Cape Town and 바카라사이트 Witwatersrand that rely on annual above-inflation fee increases, such limits will have significant consequences.

A more general problem is that 바카라사이트re is no coherent policy for South African education as a whole. A large number of people with 바카라사이트 potential to succeed at university do not have access to schools that can prepare 바카라사이트m adequately for 바카라사이트 National Senior Certificate that 바카라사이트y need to apply for a place. While education is a right specified in 바카라사이트 constitution, inequities in access begin in 바카라사이트 earliest years, with low levels of functional literacy in primary schooling.

These and o바카라사이트r policy failures are a consequence of 바카라사이트 general paralysis and controversy of Zuma��s presidency. But Ramaphosa��s appointment of Naledi Pandor as minister of higher education is good news; Pandor, the former minister of science and technology, is widely respected for her experience and commitment.

With strong leadership, Zuma��s populist gesture can be converted into 바카라사이트 keystone for a progressive set of policies that could mitigate South Africa��s long and continuing higher education crisis.

Martin Hall is emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town.