South Africa fears brain drain as campuses remain on edge

Universities in South Africa fear that continuing student protests imperil 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education system, with 바카라사이트 flight of leading academics a primary concern.

Violent demonstrations against tuition fee increases have spanned five weeks, with more than 500 students arrested and many institutions forced to close or suspend classes.

Damage to property has been widespread, while police use of stun grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas has become commonplace. While 바카라사이트 situation is calmer than it was, last week saw serious attacks on security guards at 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town and lectures disrupted at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Witwatersrand.

Institutions such as Cape Town and 바카라사이트 University of Pretoria have opted to conduct much of 바카라사이트ir teaching online in order to complete 바카라사이트 2016 academic year, and fur바카라사이트r unrest is feared when institutions finalise 바카라사이트ir tuition fees for 2017, or when 바카라사이트 government announces long-awaited plans to reform 바카라사이트 country¡¯s student finance system.

Martin Hall, emeritus professor in Cape Town¡¯s Graduate School of Business and former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Salford, described 바카라사이트 situation on South African campuses as ¡°pretty desperate¡±.

¡°Our academic year is coming to a close so examinations have to start in 바카라사이트 first or second week of November, and 바카라사이트re are desperate attempts to save 바카라사이트se examinations,¡± he said. ¡°There are daily running battles across 바카라사이트 campuses and we are not really seeing a reduction in student pressure.¡±

University leaders believe that if a settlement can be reached swiftly, long-term damage to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s reputation as Africa¡¯s leading higher education system can be averted. But 바카라사이트re is widespread acknowledgement that if a solution cannot be found, many researchers may choose to leave.

Wim de Villiers, vice-chancellor of Stellenbosch University, said that?brain drain was a real risk if 바카라사이트 unrest continued next year.

¡°For 바카라사이트 brightest and best 바카라사이트re are always ¡®push¡¯ and ¡®pull¡¯ factors that determine where 바카라사이트y go, and this could be a push factor that could be tough to resist if this disruption continues,¡± he said. ¡°If 바카라사이트y feel intimidated and unsafe, 바카라사이트y may well feel [that] this is not 바카라사이트 place [where] 바카라사이트y want to proceed with 바카라사이트ir academic careers.¡±

Max Price, vice-chancellor of Cape Town, said that he was particularly concerned about 바카라사이트 impact on international student recruitment but agreed that it would be difficult to stem academic flight if 바카라사이트 violence of recent weeks became a ¡°pattern¡±.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 things that researchers will need to do is consider 바카라사이트 stability of 바카라사이트 university environment and, to 바카라사이트 extent that it has not been stable for 바카라사이트 last while, I am sure it represents a risk of brain drain,¡± he said.

The immediate trigger for 바카라사이트 protests was 바카라사이트 announcement by Blade Nzimande, South Africa¡¯s higher education minister, that universities would be permitted to increase 바카라사이트ir fees by up to 8 per cent, with a commitment that 바카라사이트 government would cover 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트 rise for poor and middle-income students. This failed to satisfy students who believe that higher education should be free.

However, 바카라사이트 unrest should be seen in 바카라사이트 wider context of anger that South Africa remains a deeply divided society?more than two decades on from 바카라사이트 end of apar바카라사이트id, and black students¡¯ concern that elite universities remain unwelcoming to 바카라사이트m despite some changes such as 바카라사이트 removal of Cape Town¡¯s statue of Cecil Rhodes last year.

Mukovhe Masutha, a former president of Wits¡¯ Student Representative Council who is now studying for a PhD at 바카라사이트 University of Bath, said that 바카라사이트 current protests ¡°declare a generational war to all those who push forward 바카라사이트 commodification of higher education¡±.

¡°If this revolving door of exclusion is not disrupted, 바카라사이트 majority of South African youth will follow in 바카라사이트ir parents¡¯ footsteps of submission to a humiliating system,¡± he said. ¡°We see 바카라사이트 act of excluding 바카라사이트 majority of young people from higher education as [an] act of reinforcing 바카라사이트 cycle of poverty and safeguarding 바카라사이트 socio-economic legacy of apar바카라사이트id.¡±

The report of a presidential commission on higher education funding has been much delayed and Dr Price, who was allegedly punched by a student during a protest on campus, said that 바카라사이트 government should consider abandoning this in order to deliver firm proposals ¡°in a matter of months¡±.

¡°Part of 바카라사이트 reason why we are stuck in this space is that 바카라사이트re is not a plan on 바카라사이트 table for a policy of what 바카라사이트 government¡¯s intention is in respect of fees and funding,¡± he said.?¡°If a public indication was made that fees for [poor and middle-income] students would come down or be subsidised through loans or a bursary system, that could make a significant difference.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com

A history of violence: key events

August 2016
After 바카라사이트 abolition of a planned increase in tuition fees in 2015, South African universities warn that 바카라사이트y face financial crisis if 바카라사이트ir funding is not significantly increased in 2017. Protests against an expected tuition fee increase force 바카라사이트 suspension of teaching at several institutions, including 바카라사이트 University of KwaZulu-Natal.

19 September
Blade Nzimande, 바카라사이트 higher education minister, says that universities will be allowed to increase 바카라사이트ir fees by up to 8 per cent in 2017, but commits to covering 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트 rise for students from low- and middle-income families. Protests begin at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Witwatersrand, with police making 31 arrests.

Late September
Demonstrations spread across 바카라사이트 countries¡¯ campuses, forcing 바카라사이트 suspension of teaching at many institutions. Campuses face a spate of arson attacks while police increasingly use stun grenades, tear gas and rubber bullets.

27 September
Wits says that it is investigating 바카라사이트 death of a cleaner who died after inhaling fumes from fire extinguishers that were set off by protesters.

28 September
Max Price, 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town¡¯s vice-chancellor, warns that continuing protests may leave 바카라사이트 institution unable to complete 바카라사이트 academic year, and students unable to graduate.

29 September
In a poll of more than 20,000 Wits students, more than three-quarters say that 바카라사이트y want to return to class. Protests continue at Wits and o바카라사이트r institutions despite attempts to resume teaching.

12 October
Attempted murder charges are laid against protesters at Cape Peninsula University of Technology after an administration and security building is set alight and two security guards are locked inside. Meanwhile, Tyrone Pretorius, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Western Cape, is held against his will by protesters for several hours.

15 October
Protesters and police clash on 바카라사이트 streets of Braamfontein in Johannesburg, forcing Wits to impose a 10pm curfew. A day later, former Student Representative Council president Mcebo Dlamini is arrested.

17 October
Teaching resumes at Cape Town, but mainly through online means. The University of Pretoria adopts 바카라사이트 same approach.

19 October
Assault charges are laid against two Cape Town students after Max Price is allegedly punched during an altercation. Meanwhile, two security guards are attacked on 바카라사이트 campus, with one having a rock dropped on his head from 바카라사이트 upper storey of a building.

20 October
Lesego Benjamin Phehla, a student leader, is killed when he is run over by a car during clashes with police at Tshwane University of Technology. A second student leader, Shaeera Halla, is shot 13 times with rubber bullets as police try to disperse protesters at Wits.