Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Free education for deserving students – Manamela
DEPUTY Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela says deserving students will receive free education, who made the announcement during his visit to the University of Walter Sisulu University in Mdantsane and Buffalo City TVET College, a day before ruling party president Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the party’s January 8 statement in the city.
Manamela said President Jacob Zuma’s announcement- was not made haphazardly, but was well thought out and researched by the higher education, finance, science and technology and state security departments after the Heher Commission had completed its investigation on the matter.
He said Zuma’s announcement on December 16, the day the ANC national conference began, would have serious implications for universities and TVET colleges.
However, Manamela said through disrespecting Zuma, some people were undermin- ing the announcement made after collective consultation.
“It is a collective announcement, and one of the mistakes committed in responding is to personalise the announcement to the president,” he said.
“As the president he set up the commission, and he took up the responsibility for ensuring that we steer the country out of the crises that was facing many of our institutions as government’s commitment in ensuring that all young people have access to the education.”
Manamela said he and Higher Education Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize would ensure that all students qualifying for free education are enrolled for this academic year.
“Part of our responsibility is to ensure that we don’t charge those students registration fees because that is the commitment government has made,” he said.
He said the students would also have free accommodation.
“The NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme) quantified the accommodation amount up to R115 000 (per student) from R76 000. Government is investing R350 000 in (each of) them so they come to university and TVET colleges.
“Those students who are doing second and third year will have their loans converted to grants or bursaries,” he said.
He said Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba and Mkhize would investigate the extent of the historical debt by students, and announce how this would be settled.
He said Gigaba would announce during his Budget speech where the free educa- tion funding would come from.
Manamela heard from the Walter Sisulu University’s head of student registration Khaya Maphinda that the university had space for 7 300 new students to register between January 22 and February 9.
Hoe said about 30 000 applications had been received.
Student affairs executive director Zoleka Dotwana said: “We are the greatest beneficiaries of the announcement as the free education policy will improve university budgets.”