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Varsities in the dark over fees increases after calls for meetings go unanswered

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Calls by an organisation representing vice-chancellors at South Africa’s universities to meet with the presidency and ministry of higher education over university fees for next year have fallen on deaf ears.

Universities South Africa chief executive Dr Ahmed Bawa told City Press on Friday that students on campus were anxious about whether there were prospects of fee increases next year because neither President Jacob Zuma nor Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande had made pronouncements.

This came after Zuma received a report from Judge Jonathan Heher, who presided over a commission that was set up by Zuma to investigate the feasibility of fee-free higher education.

Bawa said their organisation has repeatedly asked for a meeting but none has been called.

“There hasn’t yet been a meeting. The universities have not been able to make any progress on this matter because the deep uncertainty due to this lack of information about the contents of the Heher Commission. We have also asked repeatedly for meetings with the minister of higher education and training and the department to discuss this matter but these too have not materialised. Universities will strike up budgets based on assumptions because councils will have to approve budgets for next year before the end of this year.”

He said there was “just too much uncertainty” to have a meeting between students and university managers.

Bawa said he had no idea what were the recommendations contained in the Heher Commission report.

By the time of publication both the presidency and department of higher education had not responded to questions sent on Tuesday.


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