In a thought-provoking address, Durban University of Technology (DUT) Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu, explored the national context and sub-culture behind student protests stemming from the fee-free higher education policy. While this initiative was designed to alleviate financial barriers for students, it has also led to a series of challenges that threaten the quality of education and the stability of academic institutions.
Mthembu raised this in his State of the University Address earlier this week.
Mthembu said the announcement of fee-free higher education by former President Zuma in mid-December 2017 came as a surprise, shortly after DUT’s council had approved the university’s budget.
“We cautioned then that there would be major negative ramifications of that decision,” Mthembu said.
He said the decision was a welcome move given the perennial challenges of access to higher education, which had always largely affected students from poor households. So, access would be broadened, but in a regulated way.
Mthembu explained that universities must adhere to yearly enrolment targets set by the Department of Higher Education and Training. If they enroll too many or too few students, they face penalties. Consequently, universities and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) must plan following the approved targets.
Mthembu said in contrast, in its haphazardness, the announcement led to some opportunistic behaviour on the part of some of the young people.
He said it spawned heightened expectations that universities should ignore several admission requirements just because higher education was then ‘free’.
There remain expectations that universities must cater for the entire welfare needs of students, including finding accommodation for every single student funded by NSFAS. These expectations are being exploited by rogue societal elements to legitimise annual student protests across the post-school sector, which often forces institutions to suspend academic activity for weeks.
He also said that despite engagements between management and duly elected student representative councils to confront whatever challenges, the only agenda among these rogue elements remains disruption rather than a quest for solutions.
Mthembu said the loss of teaching and learning time impacts the minimum notional hours students must complete to meet the set educational outcomes.
Annually, departments are forced to devise catch-up plans before assessments can happen. Academics often find it difficult to assess students on aspects of work that had not been presented as planned. Whatever catch-up efforts could achieve, it would be foolhardy to dismiss suggestions that with so much less time to do everything, the quality of teaching and learning would have been compromised, sometimes beyond repair, he explained.
“Neither can we, as a result, dismiss talk of not just unemployed graduates, but unemployable ones. With this sub-culture becoming institutionalised nationally, there is a real risk that some of our students may fall short of becoming ideal ‘adaptive graduates’ DUT wants to produce by design,” Mthembu said.
He admitted they have localised challenges, such as network and Wi-Fi challenges at the university, however, updates on the progress have been provided. Unfortunately, the sheer volume of work required in certain areas means that it will not be completed quickly.
“Does that warrant destruction of property, acts of intimidation and violence meted out to staff and students and the university infrastructure? There is no justification for these ugly and repulsive behaviours that soil the very essence of our Living Values Framework and compromise the quality of the education we provide,” Mthembu said.
He added that while isolated violent protests still occur on DUT campuses, the behavior and sub-culture is not as ingrained, widespread, and harmful as it was in the past.
“Of course, living in a South Africa that has nationalised the sub-culture of violent protest, it is difficult for DUT to be a protest and violence-free oasis,” Mthembu said.