Broke UNESWA proposes 26% student fees hike
MBABANE – Amid neverending financial challenges, the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) has proposed that fees paid by students be increased by 26 per cent.
This is contained in the annual performance report of the Ministry of Education and Training for the financial year between April 2023 and March 2024, which is yet to be debated and adopted in Parliament.
In the annual performance report, the institution detailed some of the challenges it is currently faced with.
It also outlined proposed solutions which it feels could help turn the fortunes around.
It mentioned that affordability remained a concern for many students, as a majority were self-sponsored, potentially leading to dropouts or reliance on unsustainable solutions.
“The government has continued to pay a flat rate for students sponsored by them yet the prevailing fee structure requires payment per credit. This leads to a shortfall in expected revenue. It is proposed that fees be increased by 26 per cent, which will imply that the annual fees will be increased from average of E25 000 to E33 000,” reads part of the annual performance report.
One of the main challenges outlined in the report is that the decreases in government funding have led to limited resources for the university, impacting infrastructure, staff salaries and student support.
It is mentioned that the institution’s financial statements reflected deficits of E150 million to E200 million annually. To address the challenge, the university proposed that it should be recapitalised to the tune of about E450 million to address the immediate needs.
It was mentioned that the university was seeking support in the form of a guarantee against funding to be secured from financial institutions for infrastructure development within its premises and debt amortisation in order to reduce indebtedness.
Also mentioned in the report is that the university has also completed its 2024-2029 strategic plan, whose vision is to make it a sustainable public university impacting society and improving lives.
This, it was stated, will involve broadening the revenue streams of the institution through programme diversification, commercialisation of assets through Chakaza Holding Company, strengthening ALUMNI base through the UNESWA Foundation and cost of the university in order to reduce the wage bill without compromising the quality of education offered.
It was mentioned that technical assistance was being sought to under
take these initiatives.
Another challenge outlined in the annual performance report are issues between management of members of staff.
It is highlighted that disagreements regarding the cost-of-living adjustment (CoLA) and notching (pay increases based on experience) had led to strikes that disrupted academic activities.
IMPACT
“The university is also grappling with staff shortage and high turnover, which impact the lecturer-student ratio and the quality of instruction. A salary review process has been initiated to benchmark the salary structure with the region that will inform the packages in line with the Public Enterprise Unit (PEU) circular on salaries,” the report states.
Another challenge outlined in the report is that outdated facilities and limited access to technology hindered the learning experience and research opportunities.
It is mentioned that the Motsepe Foundation has seen the construction of classrooms in Mbabane and Kwaluseni campuses, something which will help ease the classroom congestions and shortages.
Also listed among the outlined challenges at the institution is the welfare of students.
It is mentioned that some students faced challenges with meals, accommodation and basic necessities, something which impacted on their ability to focus on academics.
“The university also has an increase in students’ suicide. There is a need for the expansion of the student counselling unit. The university has recently launched a centre of counselling and care to assist alleviate the rising incidents of suicides, sexual and gender-based violence in higher education institutions,” it is mentioned in the report.
Meanwhile, the report shared information on the widely reported controversy surrounding admissions late last year.
PREPARATION
It mentioned that the admissions for the 2023/24 academic year were conducted in preparation for the upcoming cohort of students scheduled to commence classes on October 30, 2023.
However, the university said, such an endeavour did not come to fruition as intended due to inadequate government funding for scholarships to accommodate the second intake.
The report said the Senate acknowledged the potential difficulties that the university would encounter throughout the year and made the decision to postpone the enrolment of first-year full-time students to August 2024.
As a result, the report mentioned, the number of admissions for the current academic year was lower in comparison with the previous year, where approximately 3 000 candidates were admitted to the university.
Regarding the enrolment, the report said based on the admission figures and the number of returning students from the previous academic year, the projected enrolment for the 2022/2023 academic year was 11 025.
As a result, there was an 18.2 per cent shortfall in the projected enrolment.
Nonetheless, the report said despite the difficulty of not enrolling new students there was still a significant increase of 18.01 per cent in enrolment compared to the previous academic year.
OFFERED
“Despite the non-enrolment of full-time student, there was still a cohort of first-year students for the programmes offered to part-time students as the Institute of Distance Education,” the report mentions.
Meanwhile, the mandate of UNESWA is derived from its vision, mission statement and functions which is teaching, research and innovation, entrepreneurship and community engagement.
The mandate provides the basis for training and production of the much-needed human resources for the economic development of the country and individuals’ benefit.
This extends to the development of the knowledgeable base for its own sake.
While its vision is ‘University of Choice in Africa’, the financial challenges it has faced in recent years threaten its credibility.
The previous years have been marked by constant strikes by both students and lecturers.
This has seen classes being suspended and examination postponed.
Currently, the management of the institution is at loggerheads with academic and non-academic staff and this poses a threat to an examination that is expected to start tomorrow.
‘‘It is mentioned that some students faced challenges with meals, accommodation and basic necessities, something which impacted on their ability to focus on academics.’’
CHALLENGES
The financial challenges have also seen the institution having its tax debt of about E1.3 billion being written off by government.
On another note, UNESWA is not the only institution of higher learning which plans to increase student fees.
The annual performance reflects that the Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU) also wants to propose same.
In the report, SANU raised an issue that one of its challenges was minimal resources to purchase sufficient and new learning material and machinery for an improved student learning experience.
The institution mentioned that it will continue to engage the ministry to consider an increase in tuition fees which were last raised in 2014.