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Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande is satisfied with the R5 billion additional injection of funds proposed for tertiary fees, while the Democratic Alliance said it was a short-term solution which did not go far enough.
Speaking outside the National Assembly after Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan had completed delivery of his budget speech, Nzimande said the R5 billion over the medium term was a “significant contribution” that came on the back of the R32 billion increases that had already been allocated last year towards higher education.
Read: Another R5bn for student funding, but not without consequences
“It goes a long way towards addressing two things: it has taken us closer to covering as many students as possible, and it is a firm commitment from government of the roadmap required for the future of higher education.”
Nzimande said it showed that the government was committed to resolving the tertiary funding problem while it waited for the outcome of the Heher commission of inquiry into higher education funding, which is set to complete its work in June.
DA shadow minister of higher education, Belinda Bozzoli, said that Gordhan suggested that he knew the problems went beyond what he had proposed, but he had passed the buck to the Heher commission and the inter-ministerial task group.
“Ultimately, it will come back to the Treasury, though, so the buck passing is a little disingenuous,” she said.
“It is a short-term solution, and is nowhere near the amount needed in the higher education sector to sustain our universities and colleges in the longer term. The minister knows perfectly well that tens of billions more is required to put the sector back on an even keel after decades of neglect.”
The DA also believes that the finance minister should have announced a significant increase to the higher education infrastructure allocation, which would have allowed for the building of more student accommodation and facilities.
“That is why we need a comprehensive spending review which would make more funds available for helping the lost generation, specifically so that they can access the higher education sector.”
According to Gordhan’s 2017 budget review, overall, spending in higher education is set to reach R89.8 billion by 2019-2020, growing at an annual average rate of 9.2% over the medium term.
Of this amount, 42.7% is for university subsidies, 21.9 % for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, and 9.7% for technical and vocational education and training.
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