The private sector is the biggest beneficiary of trained graduates, and should be persuaded to provide more financial backing for tertiary institutions, says Rhodes University Vice Chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela, as students vowed to shut down the campus again on Wednesday, and a provincial action is planned for Friday.
The private sector is the biggest beneficiary of trained graduates, and should be persuaded to provide more financial backing for tertiary institutions, says Rhodes University Vice Chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela, as students vowed to shut down the campus again on Wednesday, and a provincial action is planned for Friday.
Mabizela said there isn’t just one solution to the challenges faced by the institution, Mabizela said, addressing around 300 protesting students in New Street, Grahamstown, on Monday 19 October.
Mabizela said the problem is that the Department of Higher Education is underfunded.
"There has been a decline in the actual funding of higher education," Mabizela said. "From 1994 to 2015 enrolments in higher education has more than doubled – but the subsidy has not," he said.
While emphasising that there was no one solution to fix all the problems, Mabizela did offer some suggestions. He said they should approach the Department of Treasury and ask them to boost funding for higher education. Mabizela also voiced plans to challenge the private sector to play their part in solving the challenges faced by students.
"We must approach the private sector," Mabizela said. "The private sector is the main beneficiary of these graduates when they finish their degrees here. They will work for the private sector, so I think the private sector has a lot to contribute," he said.
Mabizela also pointed to the country's financial imbalances.
"You see, in this country, you either have to be desperately poor and you qualify for NSFAS, or you have to be very rich be able to afford higher education," he said.
But even the National Student Financial Aid Scheme was not adequate because the threshold is very low, Mabizela said.
Addressing the issue of the Minimum Initial Payment (MIP), Mabizela said students normally pay about 50 percent of their fees as MIP.
"We had offered to reduce the MIP to 20 percent for those who wish to pay the MIP but those who can't afford to pay the MIP can arrange to pay their fees over 10 months. So either you pay the MIP which is 20 percent of you fees and if you are unable to do that you can pay your fees over 10 months," Mabizela said.
Mabizela said this is an option that has always been available to students.
Mabizela sympathised with the students; however, he said the university is unable to reduce fees.
"Unfortunately we cannot reduce the fees because of the pressure that we have. For example, the electricity tariffs have gone up, we have to pay rates and services; the exchange rate [is unfavourable to the Rand]; and we have to ensure that our library is stocked with the latest books and also electronic materials.
"For all of those we have to pay huge amounts of money. It is very difficult."
Responding to a question about the students' threats to abandon exams, Mabizela said he hopes the students will understand the university's position.
"I sincerely hope that our students will understand that it is not just a case of the university management not wanting to respond favourably to their demands. We have to run the institution in a sustainable manner and I really hope that we can work with them in ensuring that we approach the government and private sector and make sure that we generate more funds to support higher education," he said.
Mabizela said it wouldn't be in the student's best interests to abandon exams.
"I don’t think it would be productive for them not to write exams and as a result have their whole year wasted . I know our students will think about this.
"The issues that are raised are absolutely important, and we have to address them," he said.
Registrar at Rhodes University Dr Stephen Fourie said they had heard the students concerns about the MIP and fees.
"You have heard the VC saying the fees increase is not reasonable. There are, however, some things that can be done to meet you somewhere along the road.
"The MIP, we can sort that problem out to a large extent. You have already heard some suggestions of how that could be done.
"It is not true that you have to pay the MIP in January: you can make arrangements," he said.
A student leader addressing the group said they had told the university management their demands and it was their choice whether to take them or not. She said they had finished negotiating with the management and that all higher education institutions in the country would shut down this week.
“On Wednesday, all institutions of this country are shutting down. The [ANC's] Freedom Charter says the doors of education shall be opened for all.
"Doors are closing to poor black students. We are not going anywhere and there are no exams that are going to be written,"she said.
Student Representative Council (SRC) secretary general Lindokuhle Zungu in his statement following an SRC meeting with management on Friday said the SRC had noted with difficulty the proposed university increase fees.
He said the SRC had been constantly arguing for the university to review its fee structure, particularly its initial payment. Zungu said they have convened an Eastern Cape SRC forum for all Eastern Cape universities, which will meet on Friday 23 October.
“What we propose is for a provincial march, as we are also of the view that our government has an important role in resolving this issue… [we will march]to the provincial higher education offices to demand a financial intervention to the crisis that our higher education sector is facing,” Zungu said.
Meanwhile East Cape Midlands College continued with their protest for alleged unpaid accommodation funding by the institution. A student in the institution who wanted to remain anonymous said Rhodes University students were supporting them.
"Rhodes students come here to support us and we also go to them too. We were dispersed by the police again today but we will not stop because of that," said the student.
The university published a statement on its internal mailing list regarding the MIP.
The statement reads: "Students who are not able to pay their full MIP upfront can make alternative arrangements with the Student Fees Office.
"Alternative arrangements include paying a portion of the MIP upfront with the full balance of fees payable per debit order over a period of ten months, or where no MIP is affordable the full fees are payable per debit order over a period of ten months.
"Students are encouraged to approach the Student Fees Office in this regard well before the MIP due date.
The applicable form is obtainable from the Student Bureau or the Student Fees Office," the statement read.
