Costly state of education

STUDENTS are having running battles with management at various tertiary institutions throughout the country over increasing fees.

This has raised concerns that rampant increases in tuition fees could eventually make tertiary education inaccessible to most South Africans, thereby undermining the drive to improve skills.

KPMG economist Lulu Kruger said over the past two years universities have increased their fees by 8.5%, way above the current 6% inflation rate.

"Education costs have increased over the inflation rate in the past years, while salaries increased at an inflation rate," she said.

"That means it becomes really difficult for people to send their children to proper schools and universities."

A snap survey of several universities by Sowetan has revealed that for this year the average increase in tuition fees is 9.4 %.

Currently, there is a stand-off between students at the Bellville campus of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) over increased fees.

Tuition fees at the institution were increased by 11%. The upfront payment increased from R2200 to R3500 for non-residents and from R3400 to R5000 for students in residence.

CPUT vice-chancellor Professor Anthony Staak said that a council decision about fee increases was made in consultation with the student council.

"Factors such as the rising costs of running a university, the financial burden of operating residences and the comparative fees structure at other universities were taken into account," said Staak.

At the University of Venda students have embarked in protest over an increase of late application fees from R190 to R500 and registration fees from R4560 to R5140.

SRC members at the University of North West (Mahikeng campus) have been camping outside the institution demanding the reduction of this year's 12% increase of campus residential fees to 5.7%.

University of Cape Town has increased its fees by 9.8 % for this year.

The university has also increased residential fees by 8.5% and an additional 4% increase for law students to fund the Law Clinic.

UCT's director of admission Carl Herman said the cost for most degree programmes was R16000 for this year - up from R14500 for last year.

UCT also requires an initial payment of R17500 for residence fees on or before February 3.

Registration fees at Witwatersrand University has increased from R7300 last year to R7950 this year.

University of Pretoria's spokesman Sanku Tsunke said their registration fees have increased from R3200 to R3500.

Herman Esterhuizen, spokesman of the University of Johannesburg, said all students, including those whose fees were paid by sponsors or employers, have to pay minimum amounts before registration.

Students at University of Johannesburg have to pay at least R2615 for ICT-levy, application fees and residence deposit before they were registered.

Five days before registration, students staying at residences have to pay R5490 and the ones not at residences pay R3350.

South African Students Congress (Sasco) has called for university fees to be capped.

"We believe that if we are to get free higher education we should firstly cap university fees," said Sasco secretary Themba Masondo, adding that "as long as there are increases, there will be strikes."

Education analyst Mary Metcalfe said the increases affected mostly children from poor backgrounds.

"When poverty operates to exclude from opportunities to achieve their potential, that exclusion creates resentments and undermines social cohesion," Metcalfe said.

"The sense of belonging and being able to make a contribution through ones efforts and aspirations is denied."

The department of Higher Education and Training is investigating whether to regulate university fees. Minister Blade Nzimande has appointed a committee chaired by Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate whether fees have to be regulated. The task team started its work last July and has eights months to complete its task.