#FeesMustFall needs to put entire country first

There can be no doubt that the struggle has moved beyond the needs of students, and an alarming political agenda seems to be at the root of the ongoing violence as opportunistic politicians seek to exploit this youth uprising. The system of tertiary education in our country is under threat and while our institutions are fairly robust and resilient, the system needs protection as we engage with the government, business and academia to review the required changes and new models to achieve sustainable university education.

We cannot allow the current high standards among our universities to be eroded and the loss of an entire academic year will be catastrophic. Of further concern is the reputational damage abroad as international students and academics are deterred from enrolling at South African universities.

The general consensus among the majority of students was to return to classes and complete the academic year, but this intention has seemingly been derailed by a minority faction intent on violent disruption. The demands initially were for zero fee increases. Once conceded, the demands quickly escalated to free education and have now extended to the notion of a “decolonised curriculum”. What this means is anyone’s guess as the most recent attack on science (#ScienceMustFall) was uncomfortably ignorant and nothing short of a national embarrassment.

It is becoming difficult to understand why the rule of law is not being enforced. As much as disgruntled students have the right to protest, those wanting to complete their academic year also have the right to do just that – without fear of intimidation and violent disruption.

Income

In a constrained economic climate, revenue from private sector contracts is diminished as corporates seek to tighten their belts. As government coffers also start to run dry, universities become increasingly dependent on fees from students.

Our tertiary institutions need to generate income from fees and there would be dire consequences if this revenue was lost. The pressure on vice-chancellors is telling, however, and there are signs that some may be softening their stance towards free education as they flounder without meaningful or support.

University attendance is a privilege. It should remain valued and aspirational for school learners, and it should always be reserved for the brightest, most promising young minds. The privilege should rightfully also come with a cost, as it affords significant advantage and benefits to graduates. Nobody should be excluded from university due to lack of financial resources, but there are students whose parents can afford it and who should pay.

How do we justify the call for free tertiary education in a country that has not afforded its citizens free and fair access to basic education? What about the need to maintain a robust system of social security? Given that only 4 percent of our population will graduate from tertiary institutions, are these funding demands more important than the health, safety and security of the entire country.

Given that government cannot fund the demands, the focus has now shifted to the private sector and the role for corporates in resolving this crisis. While corporates already contribute through bursary programmes and contracted services political leadership to universities, there may also be an opportunity to provide additional support through student loans and grants to the poor and “missing middle”.

The challenge, however, is the return on investment to our country and the economy. The reality is that we don’t need more arts and social sciences graduates. What this country desperately needs are artisans. Recent research and analysis for a course of action to re-ignite the economy demonstrated that we need 40 to 60 percent of school leavers pursuing artisanal training.

The business community is sympathetic to the needs of poor students, but we cannot in good conscience support the demands for free university education, and a revised curriculum that excludes “western science”. We certainly will not support the destruction of much-needed infrastructure.

The country needs student leadership that is committed to driving an agenda that has national interest at heart and which seeks to strengthen our tertiary sector rather than destroy it.