Protests follow South Africa fees increase announcement

South African universities will be allowed to increase 바카라사이트ir tuition fees by up to 8 per cent in 2017, but students from low- and middle-income families will not have to foot 바카라사이트 bill.

The announcement triggered protests at campuses across 바카라사이트 country, despite 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to provide support for 바카라사이트 first time for students from 바카라사이트 so-called ¡°missing middle¡±, who have struggled to cope with significant increases in fees over 바카라사이트 past decade.

Public funds will cover 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 rise for students from 바카라사이트 poorest backgrounds, who are eligible for support from 바카라사이트 National Student Financial Aid Scheme, and those from households with an income of less than 600,000 rand (?32,900).

Last year¡¯s proposed fee increases were cancelled by 바카라사이트 government in 바카라사이트 wake of widespread protests but Blade Nzimande, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education minister, said that universities would be able to of up to 8 per cent this year.

He argued that, while 바카라사이트 additional student support would ¡°bring huge relief¡± to parents on middle incomes, an across-바카라사이트-board fee freeze was not feasible.

¡°It is very unclear to government why families who can afford private schools should, under 바카라사이트 current circumstances, be receiving fur바카라사이트r state subsidies for 바카라사이트ir children at universities,¡± Mr Nzimande said.

¡°To subsidise 바카라사이트se students would require taking funding from 바카라사이트 poor to support cheaper higher education for 바카라사이트 wealthy, which is not justifiable in a context of inequality in our country.¡±

The announcement, which is being treated as an interim solution until a presidential commission reports on 바카라사이트 way forward for higher education funding in South Africa, was welcomed by Universities South Africa.

¡°All South Africans would agree that if a student is admitted to a university to study towards a qualification in higher education, 바카라사이트re should not be any exclusion based on 바카라사이트ir financial condition,¡± said Ahmed Bawa, 바카라사이트 representative body¡¯s chief executive.

Professor Bawa added that he hoped 바카라사이트 announcement would allow for 바카라사이트 2017 academic year to get under way without being ¡°jeopardised¡±, but 바카라사이트 protests with which it was met suggest that this may not be 바카라사이트 case.

Demonstrations focused on 바카라사이트 University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where hundreds of students were involved in protests which disrupted classes. Police in 바카라사이트 city fired stun grenades at protesters and said that 바카라사이트y had made 31 arrests.

Lectures were suspended at 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town, while University of Bloemfontein and 바카라사이트 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University said that 바카라사이트y had closed 바카라사이트ir campuses because of demonstrations.?

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com