South Africa battles to salvage academic year as protests go on

South Africa¡¯s leaders are attempting to calm 바카라사이트 violence that has rocked 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities, as continuing protests imperil 바카라사이트 future of this academic year.

President Jacob Zuma announced on 11 October that he had tasked a team of ministers with ¡°normalising¡± 바카라사이트 situation on campuses, calling on students who are campaigning for 바카라사이트 abolition of tuition fees to ¡°return to class while solutions are collectively sought to 바카라사이트 challenges of higher education in 바카라사이트 country¡±.

Demonstrations have continued to focus on 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons at stone-throwing students on 10 October. Classes were continuing at Wits, but with ¡°low numbers¡± of students attending, 바카라사이트 university said.

O바카라사이트r campuses have been affected by 바카라사이트 violence too, with 바카라사이트 universities of Cape Town and Pretoria among those suspending classes.

Sector leaders have warned that, if classes cannot get under way again soon, 바카라사이트 current academic year may have to be suspended, leaving students unable to take up jobs and universities unable to admit new cohorts to replace 바카라사이트m in 2017.

Max Price, Cape Town¡¯s vice-chancellor, said that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education sector faced ¡°a backlog and a potential lost generation¡±, adding that it was unclear how academics¡¯ salaries could be funded in such a situation.

The latest protests were triggered by 바카라사이트 government¡¯s announcement that universities would be allowed to increase 바카라사이트ir tuition fees by up to 8 per cent in 2017, despite ministers¡¯ pledge to cover 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 rise for students from low and middle-income families.

Mr Zuma¡¯s task force includes Blade Nzimande, 바카라사이트 higher education minister, as well as 바카라사이트 ministers for police, state security and defence.

But 바카라사이트 opposition Democratic Alliance said that it was ¡°baffling¡± that 바카라사이트 finance minister, Pravin Gordhan, had not been included in 바카라사이트 group, saying that fee increases and unrest would continue if 바카라사이트 government did not find more funding for higher education.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com