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Can we afford free tertiery education?
By: Graig-Lee Smith
When I first heard that free education was on the table for some political parties, the first thing that popped up was, “Wow, they actually noted what I’ve been asking. The Mail & Guardianearlier reported that 46% of all students who enrolled in 2005 to study full time had dropped out in 2010.
This is something that the ruling party should look deeper into instead of waiting on the opposition to make new policies. I decided to follow the story to try and keep up with the political parties, and see what the young people want. Do they really want free education? What will they do should tertiary education be free for all and how it will improve their lives?
Thousands of South African students are dropping out of universities and colleges almost every day and one of the reasons is the lack of funding. With the elections around the corner, some politicians promise free tertiary education, should they be voted into power.
In just over a month, South Africa will celebrate twenty years of democracy. It will also be the fourth democratic election. Education is one of the most important factors not only in South Africa but globally. “When you educate children, they are guaranteed a better life,” is something you hear from motivational speakers or individuals telling their stories. As clichéd as it might sound, it’s actually the truth. If you have a diploma or degree behind your name, your circumstances will improve.
South Africa’s 2014/2015 budget
Earlier this year, Minister Pravin Ghordhan announced that he is planning to spend R78 billion on universities and R34 billion towards building schools. This is a lot of money for education and the future of education looks promising, but who will benefit? We know that all South Africans who earn a salary should pay taxes, of which a huge chunk goes into education to improve thelives of all current and prospective students.
Parties who promised to give free education
In their election manifesto, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) promised that they would give all university students a chance to complete their studies. This is a good move for young people and matriculants who sit at home with Matric but cannot afford to continue their education. Thousands welcomed the EFF’s plans should they be voted into power.
AGANG SA did the same thing when they promised that they would provide free tertiary education for all South African students. It remains unclear whether free education will beprovided for current and/or future students.
Aside from the ANC, DA and their youth leagues, Agang interacts with its member on a daily basis. Social media remains one of the key elements of communicating with the young people.
Can South Africa afford it?
Free tertiary education for all students sounds promising but the question remains: can we afford it? I have spoken to some matriculants and university students and heard mixed reactions. “I think it will cause a havoc in terms of people who made provision for their children to go and those who will be getting it for free won't work as hard as those who paid to get their degrees/diploma's. In other words, the quality of graduates might decline due to this,” says Rinaldo Abdul, a second-year university student from Port Elizabeth.
Bursary applications, student loans and scholarships still need more attention and officials at university and government level should have a serious look at how they are disbursed. “Honestly, a certain race group gets first preference for anything free in this country. Then again, it’s a good thing for under-privileged kids. This is a sign then that taxpayers’ money is being utilised for good things but the government will somehow try and exploit this money… we just don't know how,” says Eden De Ruiters, a third-year student at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
Having to worry about fees and the possibility of leaving university because of financial strains can put a family under great pressure. A guarantee that all you have to worry about is completing your diploma/degree is something that will improve the lives of students. “I feel that it could provide opportunities for those who really wants to study but can't obtain a bursary or a loan,” says Althea Goliath, graduate from the University of the Western Cape.
Parents are the ones who welcome the decision for free education the most. Many of them never had the opportunity to study further. Although finance was the main problem, a lack of resources characterised their primary and secondary education. “There shouldn't be private schools. All the schools should have the same level of entry… no fear, no favour,” says Barend Arendse, a parent from Bellville South.
What some experts say?
Some experts think it is a bad idea to have free education in South Africa and that our country isn’t ready for such a big step. “Young people should have to earn their bursaries by working hard and not only by free hand-outs,” says Albert Fritz, MEC for Social Development in the Western Cape. According to Fritz, too many students take things for granted and some might drop out of university. “What if a business enthusiast receives a bursary for education and in the middle of his/her studies decides to quit? We need to look at that.”
Education is one of the most important things for any person, no matter where you’re from. Even though our country has a rich heritage and unlimited potential, we see daily the number of young people at home or on the streets and searching for jobs. We are officially the country with the third highest youth unemployment rate, whilst more and more leave school to start a new life with limited resources. We have to give the government credit for improving education and building new colleges and universities for all South Africans. At the same time, the youth should demand better education - starting from primary school. If we fix the problem at primary level, hire competent teachers and improve access to resourses, more students will enter university.
Who can forget the powerful words of our beloved father of the nation: "Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela.
