DOCSLIB.ORG

Commission of Inquiry Into Higher Education Report

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Commission of Inquiry Into Higher Education Report REPORT OF THE COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY INTO HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 9 1.1 The start of the #Feesmustfall protest: the demands and the outcome ............................................................................................................ 9 1.2 The students’ demands .................................................................... 16 1.3 The consequences of the protest and determined increases ........... 20 2 The Mandate of the Commission .................................................................. 26 3 Higher Education and Training: Purpose, Policy and Historical Development and Funding ............................................................................. 32 3.1 The purpose of higher education ...................................................... 32 3.2 Higher education policy .................................................................... 34 3.3 The National Development Plan (NDP) ............................................ 36 3.4 The White Paper for Post-School Education and Training (PSET) (2013) ............................................................................................... 38 3.5 Early policy decisions on university funding ..................................... 39 3.6 Public or private benefit .................................................................... 42 3.7 Defining higher education and training for the purposes of the Commission ...................................................................................... 57 3.8 Post-school education and training (PSET): developing and maintaining the sector ...................................................................... 64 3.9 The PSET system ............................................................................. 66 3.10 The PSET sector .............................................................................. 67 3.11 The college sector ............................................................................ 67 3.12 TVET funding needs ......................................................................... 71 3.13 The university sector ........................................................................ 78 3.14 University funding ............................................................................. 79 3.15 Private higher education and training ............................................. 100 3.16 Conclusion ...................................................................................... 104 4 ‘Fee-free’ in the Context of Higher Education and Training ..................... 105 5 ‘Feasible’ ....................................................................................................... 107 6 Legal Considerations, including the Constitution ..................................... 107 6.1 The constitutional obligation in relation to higher education and training ............................................................................................ 107 1 6.2 The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 . 110 6.3 Expression of the Constitution in government and ANC policy ...... 116 6.4 ANC policy decisions, 2007 to 2012 ............................................... 119 6.5 Fee-free Working Group ................................................................. 122 7 International Obligations ............................................................................. 125 8 Steps taken to Realise the Right to Accessible / Free Higher Education 134 9 Testimony on free education ....................................................................... 137 9.1 An overview of the testimony on free education ............................. 138 9.2 Government and statutory bodies’ testimonies .............................. 140 9.3 Students and student organisations ............................................... 148 9.4 Higher education institutions .......................................................... 164 9.4.1 Universities ....................................................................... 164 9.4.2 TVETS .............................................................................. 186 9.4.3 Private providers ............................................................... 190 9.4.4 Civil society groups, research bodies and individuals ...... 193 10 The Cost of Education: The Research Report on the Costing and Financing of the White Paper on Post-School Education and Training: September 2016 ............................................................................................ 206 11 National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) ..................................... 210 11.1 NSFAS legislative and regulatory framework ................................. 210 11.2 Rules .............................................................................................. 213 11.3 Rules applicable to unversities ....................................................... 213 11.4 Means test to assess financial eligibility ......................................... 215 11.5 Implications of the NSFAS cap ....................................................... 217 11.6 Topslicing ....................................................................................... 217 11.7 Shortcomings of NSFAS ................................................................. 219 11.8 The NSFAS Student Centred Model .............................................. 220 11.9 Rules for NSFAS funding to TVET Students .................................. 225 11.10 Rules regulating other NSFAS sources of funding ......................... 226 11.11 Views regarding the NSFAS system .............................................. 227 11.12 Testimony by NSFAS ..................................................................... 232 11.13 Testimony to the Commission on NSFAS ...................................... 235 11.14 Governance and administration of NSFAS ..................................... 236 11.15 University financial aid offices ........................................................ 237 11.16 Means testing ................................................................................. 238 11.17 Insufficient funding .......................................................................... 239 2 11.18 Student success ............................................................................. 241 11.19 Collection of loans .......................................................................... 242 11.20 Loans and black tax ........................................................................ 244 11.21 Conclusion ...................................................................................... 245 12 Prioritisation of Higher Education and Training ........................................ 246 13 The Balancing Process ................................................................................ 248 14 The Historical National Budget and Future Financial Outlook ................. 248 15 Government Funding on Higher Education and Training as a Percentage of GDP ............................................................................................................ 259 16 State Subsidy in Line with Consumer Price Index (CPI) v the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) ...................................................................... 262 17 Enrolments Outpace the Subsidy ............................................................... 263 18 The Appropriateness of Using GDP as a Measure to Assess the Level of Government Funding ................................................................................... 263 19 Government Spending on Higher Education and Training as a Percentage of State Budget ............................................................................................. 265 20 Improvements in the Budget ....................................................................... 268 21 Funding of Institutions in the Post School Education and Training Sector (PSET) ............................................................................................................ 271 21.1 Introduction ..................................................................................... 271 21.2 Regulatory framework .................................................................... 272 21.3 The Ministerial Committee for the Review of the Funding of Universities ..................................................................................... 275 21.4 Income sources of public higher education institutions .................. 279 21.5 First stream ..................................................................................... 279 21.6 Second stream ............................................................................... 285 21.7 Considerations when setting fees. .................................................. 286 21.8 Third stream ................................................................................... 290 21.9 Availability of third stream funding across all institutions ................ 291 22 Funding Framework for Government ......................................................... 292 22.1 Analysis .......................................................................................... 292 22.2 Critique of the funding formula ....................................................... 294 22.3 Steering mechanisms ....................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Second Assaf Report on Research Publishing in and from South Africa (2018)
    Twelve Years Later: Second ASSAf Report on Research Publishing in and from South Africa (2018) Applying scientific thinking in the service of society PO Box 72135, Lynnwood Ridge 0040, Pretoria, South Africa Tel: +27 12 349 6600 • Fax: +27 86 576 9520 • Email: [email protected] Department: Department: Science and Technology Science and Technology TWELVE YEARS LATER Academy of Science of South Africa December 2018 ISBN 978-0-6399410-5-9 DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2018/0030 Cite: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), (2019). Twelve Years Later: Second ASSAf Report on Research Publishing In and From South Africa (2018). [Online] Available at: DOI:10.17159/assaf.2018/0030 Published by: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) PO Box 72135, Lynnwood Ridge, Pretoria, South Africa, 0040 Tel: +27 12 349 6600 • Fax: +27 86 576 9520 E-mail: [email protected] Reproduction is permitted, provided the source and publisher are appropriately acknowledged. The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) was inaugurated in May 1996. It was formed in response to the need for an Academy of Science consonant with the dawn of democracy in South Africa: activist in its mission of using science and scholarship for the benefit of society, with a mandate encompassing all scholarly disciplines that use an open-minded and evidence-based approach to build knowledge. ASSAf thus adopted in its name the term ‘science’ in the singular as reflecting a common way of enquiring rather than an aggregation of different disciplines. Its Members are elected on the basis of a combination of two principal criteria, academic excellence and significant contributions to society.
    [Show full text]
  • DHET Local Journals (2021)
    Department of Higher Education and Training List of Approved South African Journals (January 2021) JOURNAL TITLE Open Access ISSN (Print) ISSN (Online) FREQUENCY EDITOR'S DETAILS PUBLISHER'S DETAILS DATE OF LAST REVIEW (Previous title if applicable) (when available) OR ACCREDITATION Acta Academica Yes 0587-2405 Bi-annually Prof H Melber, The Dag Hammarskjold PUBLISHER ADDRESS Reviewed 2009 URL: Foundation Uppsala, Sweden, Email: Sun Media Bloemfontein http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_ [email protected] 55 Brill St classic.html Westdene Postnet Suite 214 Private Bag X01 Brandhof 9324 Tel : +27-(0)51-430-0459 Fax : 086-545-4491 E-mail : [email protected] Acta Theologica Yes URL: 1015-8758 Biannually Dr L Hoffman [email protected] Sun Media Bloemfontein Tel: + 27 51 430 0459 Reviewed 2010 http://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/jour Prof HC van Zyl Fax: +27 86 545 4491 nals.aspx?journal=5 Faculty of Theology E-mail: [email protected] URL: PO Box 339, Bloemfontein,9300 Physical address: http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php? 59 Brill Street script=sci_serial&pid=1015- Westdene 8758&lng=en&nrm=iso BLOEMFONTEIN African Journal of Disability YES, URL: http://www.ajod.org 2223-9170 2226-7220 Continuous Online Dr Leslie Swartz AOSIS, Postnet Suite #110, Private Bag X19, Added in 2014 Email: [email protected] Durbanville, South Africa, 7551 Tel: 086 1000 381 Tel: +27 21 975 2602 Fax: 086 5004 974 African Human Rights Law 1609-073X Biannually Prof Frans Viljoen The Juta Law PO Box Reviewed 2011 Journal Editor: Centre for Human Right 24299
    [Show full text]
  • Stronger Together
    STRONGER TOGETHER supporting, giving to, and investing in Wits STRONGERTOGETHER WITSVICE-CHANCELLOR As you are aware, we are facing challenging times, when public funding for higher education is declining, while students demand no fee increases or no fees at all. Universities are caught in a financial pincer, which we have to transcend without compromising academic quality. We are increasingly reliant on your support to attract and retain talented, innovative academics and students; to offer more scholarships to disadvantaged students with academic potential; to support the research and teaching activities of our university; to update our technology and equipment; and to maintain and develop our facilities and infrastructure. Your support assists us in ensuring that Wits remains financially sustainable and at the cutting edge of higher education on the continent and globally. Your support also boosts us in our You, our donors, supporters critical role of helping to build a strong, stable, democratic, and investors, are the internationalised society in a country dealing with profound mainsail of our university. socio-political problems, unemployment and complex issues of You have consistently been decolonisation and transformation. there for us, helping to sustain We are currently required to make hard financial trade-offs that and advance our globally are not simply managerial and strategic; they are also ethical competitive university. and moral. They include being firm about keeping campus safe and functioning, while proactively addressing inequality in South African society, contributing to job creation and overcoming the capacity constraints that are limiting Africa’s economic growth. In so many ways, Wits has an inestimable role to play in shaping the future of South Africa and the continent.
    [Show full text]
  • Academic Freedom
    ACADEMIC FREEDOM Kagisano No. 8 March 2013 The South African Council on Higher Education (CHE) is an independent statutory body established by the Higher Education Act, no. 101 of CONTENTS 1997, and is the Quality Council for Higher Education, advises the Minister of Higher Education and Training on all higher education Foreword............................................................................................V issues and is responsible for quality assurance and promotion through the Higher Education Quality Committee. Introduction Sioux McKenna, Rhodes University...............................................1 Published by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) in 2013 1 Quintin Brand Street The Genesis and Scope of Academic Freedom in the South African Persequor Technopark Constitution Brummeria, Pretoria South Africa Rosaan Krüger, Rhodes University.................................................5 +27 12 349 3840 Losing the Academic Freedom plot? Website: http://www.che.ac.za The CHE and the debate on institutional autonomy and public accountability Produced on behalf of the CHE by Inxon Printing & Design André du Toit, University of Cape Town........................................28 65 Retief Street Academic Freedom: revisiting the debate Pretoria West Pretoria 0001 Lis Lange, University of the Free State........................................57 South Africa +27 12 327 5154 Against the Discourse of Academic Freedom www.inxon.co.za Pedro Alexis Tabensky, Rhodes University...................................76 ©Council on Higher
    [Show full text]