The recent unrest sparked by the #FeesMustFall movement in South Africa has shed light on the ongoing challenge of the cost of higher education in the country, a persistent issue that institutions grapple with annually.
Running from 2015 to 2017, the #FeesMustFall movement not only sparked important academic dialogues and literature but also ignited widespread debates within the education sector and public opinion regarding the future of South African universities.
These demonstrations, characterized by nationwide protests calling for reduced tuition fees or free higher education, as well as curriculum reforms, marked a departure from the relative tranquility that had been observed on campuses since 1994.
In his book “Statues and Storms: Leading through Change,” former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town, Max Price, offers valuable insights into this matter. It sets the stage for identifying and examining the challenges that South African universities and the government face in achieving meaningful transformation and other critical objectives, as underscored, for instance, by the 2016 report from the South African Human Rights Commission.
The report highlighted the sluggish progress in the transformation of higher education, attributing it to factors such as a lack of consensus on transformation, institutional inertia, governance lapses, underfunding, and inadequate oversight by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
It is imperative for the government to delve into three essential areas of public policy:
Firstly, assessing the government’s understanding of the higher education system’s performance and the availability of reliable data for informed policy decisions.
Secondly, tackling the financing of higher education. The sustainability and equity of taxpayer-funded university qualifications remain ambiguous.
Lastly, delving into public policy challenges concerning the decolonization of higher education curricula. This could potentially revolutionize higher education and thus necessitates robust government participation.
Price’s reference to a “colonial institutional landscape and UCT culture” raises significant inquiries about the effectiveness of communication and response mechanisms within academia, government agencies, and the cabinet ahead of the #FeesMustFall movement. Addressing these queries is crucial for shaping future government initiatives related to higher education policy-making processes.
Certain questions arise, such as: Did submissions from stakeholders like students, alumni, staff associations, and unions foreshadow the #FeesMustFall movement demands? Were these submissions adequately analyzed and considered by university management? Did regulatory bodies, government departments, and affiliated student organizations advise the government on the campus climate?
The efficiency of information flow and response mechanisms within the government could indicate systemic deficiencies in developing and implementing public policies concerning higher education. Conducting a national survey to identify such gaps and suggest reforms into higher education decision-making procedures is essential. This might involve evaluating the performance of regulatory bodies like the Higher Education Council and the Higher Education Quality Committee to serve as effective early warning systems, aiding the government in responding to emerging university pressures.
The evolving challenges in the higher education system encompass financial, governance, curriculum, and other policy aspects. Possible constraints in higher education funding could trigger disruptions akin to those initiated by the #FeesMustFall movement in 2015. South Africa must engage in urgent deliberations on the funding mechanisms for different facets of higher education, ensuring that future funding endeavors, regardless of their origin, do not compromise the well-being of the underprivileged citizens.
There are signs indicating looming challenges to government higher education policies and system efficacy. Issues like governance quality and racial matters emphasized in the Mpati report signify potential hurdles to be addressed in the near future. These signs underscore the necessity for proactive measures to enhance government policy-making in higher education.
To read more on this subject, you can check the related external article [here](https://mg.co.za/thought-leader/opinion/2024-04-16-higher-education-state-policy-needs-urgent-assessment/).