He did not specify how many places were created, nor did he point out where the money would come from. The media speculated that it was announced for political propaganda purposes, with this year's elections in mind. Will these plans materialise? Is it acceptable that they seem to enjoy priority over the fact that certain universities encounter serious management problems; that only 5 of our 23 universities are performing well; that the current pass rate for first-year students is merely 40%; that 56% of students leave university after five years without a degree; that the crisis at the majority of Further Education and Training, FET, colleges has become a national disaster; and that the pass rate for learners who wrote the National Certificate (Vocational), NCV, exams was less than 10% over the past three years? Two of the key strategic policy priorities of the department in the current financial year are, one, to expand access to universities, especially for the poor, which includes the conversion of NSFAS loans into full non- repayable bursaries for qualifying final-year students; and, two, to expand access to FET colleges for students who qualify for NSFAS aid, by exempting them from paying fees.
When President Zuma announced these plans, he said that they would be phased in over the next few years, to include students in earlier years. He explained that it was part of a commitment to progressively introduce free tertiary education up to undergraduate level. Minister, the DA supports initiatives that focus on making tertiary institutions more accessible, especially for the poor. The DA supports section 29(1)(b) of the Constitution, which reads:
Everyone has the right to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must make available and accessible.
It is in accordance with the DA's policy of an open opportunity society for all, but section 29 does not stipulate that further education should be free. It is laudable that the President announced broader access, but is free access affordable? Government wants to put more students in institutions, but at the same time wants to take money out of the system. Does government plan to put more pressure on the overburdened taxpayer in this regard? Free education obviously requires a very sophisticated financial model. Government should explain exactly how free education will be funded.
What was the response to the announcement of free tertiary education? Student organisations criticised the notion that due to a lack of funds it would have to be introduced progressively and that no timeframes are being set. They also criticised Minister Nzimande for neglecting his duties as Minister and a communist leader. He had to walk out of a heated debate on free education when students jeered and heckled him at the Tshwane University of Technology.
Highly esteemed educationists responded with mixed feelings. The reaction of Prof Flip Smit, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Pretoria, was that it was a riddle how government wanted to afford it. Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice Chancellor of the University of the Free State, agreed that we should break the poverty cycle. He welcomed the announcement to lift the financial burden on students in their final year and expressed the hope that it was not merely an electioneering stunt.
Jansen recently wrote that the begging culture at our universities should be stopped. He referred to constant demands by students who regard a university as just another welfare organisation. He had raised his concerns that after graduation, students would become prisoners of a destructive culture which allowed them to believe that the world owed them everything.
Mondli Makhanya, a respected columnist, recently quoted Deputy President Motlanthe who, during an interview, said:
Nothing is free. It is paid from revenue collected from those who pay taxes. People want this and that for free. Where have you ever heard of such a thing?
Makhanya further wrote:
Worship of free stuff is damaging to our resolve to be a great nation. Great nations are made of people who work hard, are innovative and do not expect the state to be their mommy and nanny.
The acting director-general, Mr Gwebs Qonde, was recently quoted in the media referring to the commitment to reach free education for all, as is envisaged by the Freedom Charter. It needs to be underlined that the Freedom Charter makes a distinction between free education for all children on the one hand, and higher education and technical training on the other hand. The Freedom Charter clearly does not promise free tertiary education. Do self-respecting students insist on free education at the expense of the taxpayer?
A member of the DA Youth wrote the following when I asked her what her views on free tertiary education were:
I am very grateful to National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, for the assistance they gave me to complete my degree. I am, however, also proud of the fact that I paid the 60% of my fees not covered by NSFAS on my own. I have a real sense of pride and accomplishment that I did this without relying on anyone else. It made me value and respect my education so much more than I would have if it was just handed to me on a platter.
Minister, the position of the DA is clear. It stands for quality education. It underwrites the principle that no deserving students should be denied access to tertiary education through lack of funds. Therefore, it supports initiatives that focus on making tertiary education more accessible, especially for the poor.
It believes that students should be expected to make personal contributions; that loan repayments should be enforced; that state bursaries could be linked to community service; and that a tax rebate system could provide interesting opportunities for students who are lacking funding for further studies. I thank you. [Applause.]