(Budget vote debate in parliament: Higher Education and Training)
The Department of Higher Education and Training is determined to keep to its ideological premises that render the hard work of various role players null and void. Instead of offering free higher education, accessible loans must be granted; and instead of centralising universities' vocational colleges, a close working relationship between communities and institutions must be established.
Training people to have the knowledge and skills they need to function in the sophisticated South African economy is an enormous responsibility. According to the budget, doing so will cost the country approximately R117 billion this year – which makes it one of the most expensive departments in the country's entire budget. And still this sector is characterised by unrest and even violence.
An unfortunate premise that many people in South Africa endorse is that of free higher education and training.
The budget of the government agency tasked with financing students, NSFAS, was increased this year at the expense of universities' ordinary funding. This is despite the fact that the Scheme makes provision for students to receive funding for a total of five years to complete a three-year qualification – without incurring any penalties whatsoever.
In the FF Plus's view, NSFAS allowances must be converted to loans. If the recipients of these loans are registered on the current tax system when they accept the loan, it means that they can start repaying the loan once they start earning money. It will encourage students to complete their studies in the set time and not drag it out needlessly.
Another unfortunate premise is the centralisation of institutions, apparently for the sake of improving management. The policy creates even more distance between the institutions and the communities they serve.
In stark contrast to the government's system of centralisation, communities have over the past few years made great sacrifices to build private Afrikaans institutions for learning.
After these people have paid their taxes, which finance the Department and NSFAS, they also contribute to establish institutions such as Akademia, Soltech and Bo-Karoo Opleiding.
Because it is no easy feat to mobilise such funds, these institutions handle them very carefully. And as a result, Soltech was able to erect and equip an entire campus, while paying market-related wages, for the same amount that the Gauteng Department of Education spent on sanitising vacant school buildings in the fight against Covid-19.
While the FF Plus has appreciation for the hard work and commitment of officials in the Department as well as the staff of universities and colleges, the party voted against the budget.