Presidency to discuss financial impact of fees report

THE presidential fiscal committee will convene soon to interrogate the financial implications of the report on the Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education, Communications Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said yesterday.

Kubayi said the Department of Higher Education and Training would also review relevant policies and legislation where necessary. She, however, would not be drawn into discussing the report.

“We would want to allow the report to be released,” Kubayi said, adding that the cabinet was briefed on the report.

“We are looking at the report into how to fund education going forward.

The presidential fiscal committee needs to look at the costing.”

The commission was established in January 2016 after protests at higher learning institutions nationwide.

There have been calls for the release the report in order to help institutions determine the fee increases for 2018.

On Wednesday, the portfolio committee on higher education and training was concerned about the potential consequences of delays in releasing the report.

Committee chairperson Connie September said: “It serves no purpose to keep society in suspense over what the commission found. Also it is a wrong approach to allow a situation where the report comes in drips, through unnecessary leaks in the media.”

She also said the release should be expeditious so that universities know what and how to budget for the next year.

This after the report was not released this week despite a promise following leaking of the report last weekend.

“The report will be released hopefully next week. There was intention to release the report this week.”

She also said the impasse on the procurement in the social grant contract did not feature in their meeting.

Kubayi said a report was expected from the inter-ministerial committee (IMC) led by President Jacob Zuma once it has done its work.

“We should not start raising alarm… We are confident they understand the responsibility they have.”