Student protests enter new dimension

THE wave of student protest against high tertiary fees, which had already resulted in at least three campuses temporarily shutting down operations this week, appears to be far more than just the usual isolated acts of activism which sporadically flare up at universities and colleges from year to year.

This time it is a powerful national groundswell which seems to have caught the government off guard and might go down in history as a landmark movement.

In the past the impatient public and even academics viewed student protests dismissively, perpetrated by spoilt students with political and other superficial agendas.

Not this time it seems.

In an unexpected shift, the public, economists and even academics themselves are throwing their weight firmly behind the students, all arguing that university fees have indeed become unaffordable.

Under fire, politicians attempted to placate the student masses through comical ‘fat cat on a hot tin roof’ type tap dancing. Their vague utterances of ‘understanding’ the students’ plight have up to now had little effect.

The students clearly mean business to push the issue through, this time with greater impetus on the back of public sympathy. The exclusion of students because of financial constraints is, according to the protesters, non-negotiable.

Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande’s effort to restore some calm by suggesting a 6% cap on student fee increases for 2016 have been dismissed with contempt by student leaders across the board.

No quick fixes

The fact of the matter is that there are no quick fixes.

The students are pushing hard for a free education system, but they will have to taper their expectations as a no fee structure is, according to experts, not sustainable.

Already the more than R9-billion National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is inadequate to meet the needs of the growing number of students – and taxpayers are footing the bill.

A collective, sensible strategy by all parties concerned is the only way to make headway.

But while the students need to remain realistic, government and universities themselves have to do some introspection.

As one economist pointed out, just imagine what can be achieved if the government for once turn lip service into effective action by eradicating corruption, estimated to be running at about R30-billion annually.

Channeling that kind of money into education will have a major impact on keeping fees tolerable.

Make no mistake, although they will vehemently deny it, universities are also guilty of financial wastage.

If taxpayers know how much money is squandered on useless research for example – much of it used by academics as a guise for glorified holiday trips abroad – they will also take to the streets.

Proper audits by independent forensic experts on fickle university expenditure will certainly make for interesting reading.

As far as the education is concerned, we have entered interesting times.

Watch this space.