Parents stretched even more as university fees keep rising
PARENTS of matrics heading off to study at tertiary institutions must prepare to dig deep to pay for it.
A snap survey by The Star of six Gauteng tertiary institutions found that studies this year can cost anything from R37 000 to more than R54 000 for tuition and accommodation fees across the universities of Johannesburg, Wits, Pretoria, and Monash SA, Tshwane University of Technology and Varsity College.
And despite bursaries, student loans and funds provided by the government to assist students, the ever-growing number of school-leavers means even more students still can’t access higher education.
Absa estimates that the average cost of tuition fees, including accommodation, study material and day-to-day expenses, has been increasing by 9.4 percent over the past four years.
The bank predicts that parents with a child in Grade 1 this year will be paying R160 000 a year when that child goes to university in 13 years’ time.
For many families already stretched by the increasing cost of living, tertiary education will be out of reach.
Juliet Maroney, whose daughter Candice will be studying for a tourism management degree at the University of Johannesburg this year, said she and her husband had not been able to save for fees.
“We haven’t been saving, the cost of living has being going up and up…
“The bond’s come in, and during the time when interest rates kept increasing, things have just got worse,” she said.
For Candice’s studies this year, the family will have to pay R24 000, which excludes accommodation and study material.
SA Students Congress president Ngoako Selamolela said the organisation maintains that tertiary education fees are too high.
“The government must impose a special tax for education on South Africans who are top-notch earners and private companies to assist students with fees.”
Private companies also offer bursaries to students, while most major banks have a student loan service.