Weighing demands with reality
THE recent meeting with students and government, including Jacob Zuma and minister of Higher Education Blade Nzimande, seems to have yielded minimal results. This so-called imbizo ended in a war of words between the students and the minister.
The minister accused the students of grandstanding because of the presence of the media. He also said students were continuously shifting the goalposts to suit their own agendas.
The reality is that the students need to go back to lectures while proposals on a funding model to assist poor students is worked out.
The students’ demands for free education have legitimacy when considering the billions of rand squandered through corruption, theft and unauthorised expenditure.
The auditor general’s report showed almost R11 billion was lost through irregular expenditure.
Almost R8bn has been allocated to the NFSAS. Once beneficiaries of these loans qualify and start earning they have a financial obligation to repay their loans to assist other students.
Statistics in terms of loans granted and repayments need to be made available for the perusal of all concerned since public money is used to fund the students.
The pass rate of the students who are recipients of NFSAS needs to be closely monitored.
These loans need to be taken away from students who perpetually fail and given to those who value education. Statistics in terms of passes and failures need to be made available so this funding model can be continuously evaluated.
Stringent criteria need to be formulated for students who are continuously failing and abusing the system. This may be a short to mediumterm solution while a realistic funding model is deliberated by all stakeholders.
With our shrinking economy and the fact that 10% of the population pay 90% the taxes in SA, generating income to fund free education will remain a challenge.
We hold the dubious title of being one of the most overtaxed nations in the world. So raising additional funds through taxation is going to be problematic.
The universal question is whether free tertiary education is going to be a reality soon or in the distant future, or is it a pipe dream that will never be realised?
VIJAY SURUJPAL
Phoenix