Higher education disruptions

“UNIVERSITIES have hardly opened and they are being threatened with closure in parts of the country.” That’s how Professor Jonathan Jansen described the situation on Twitter yesterday, asking the question: “Can this be higher education?”

He was referring to unrest at the start of the new academic year at Unisa, the universities of KwaZulu-Natal and Wits; the Durban and Mangosuthu universities of Technology, and which spilled over to the private Rosebank College in Durban during registration this week.

It would have been naive to believe that the #FeesMustFall protests would die down, because the challenges facing students remain: they may get a university pass, but do they get a place at university, and where does the money for registration, tuition, accommodation, food and books come from?

These issues – such as the shortage of funding for those in need and affordable safe accommodation – are legitimate but, sadly, some of those behind the protests will stop at nothing – even violence and intimidation – to be noticed.

Last year, higher education authorities calculated the direct cost of damage to universities from #FeesMustFall protests since 2015 at R786 million. The personal cost has been immeasurable and Higher Education Minister Naledi Pandor has warned that the current disruptions could result in many not being able to finish their degrees on time.

Student and political organisations must heed the call to work to resolve the issues without destroying the gains that have been made, or the successful functioning of our universities and colleges.