Philippa Garson
A radical shake-up in tertiary education has been proposed by the National Commission on Higher Education.
Chaired by Jairam Reddy, former rector of the University of Durban Westville, the commission appears to have met a wide range of needs without bowing to the specific demands of any group. It embraces a vision for an integrated and highly co-ordinated higher education system which guarantees academic freedom.
The commission, appointed by President Nelson Mandela in January last year, released its long-awaited report this week. After further discussion and negotiation, the final report will be given to Education minister Sibusiso Bengu at the end of July.
The ongoing crises in technikons and universities placed pressure on the team to release its findings earlier than intended.
The commission, which calls for a new Higher Education Act, makes some radical proposals on the one hand and plays down politically contentious issues on the other.
It proposes a “massification” system that moves away from the present elitist and skewed base where the majority of whites and a minority of blacks are catered for. The commission proposes drawing many more people into higher education by doing away with existing matric exemption requirements.
Its proposals are broadly in line with developments in higher education in industrialised countries trying to narrow the gap between educational outputs and economic needs.
While it recommends a “single co-ordinated system that consists of about 30 to 40 multi- campus universities and technikons” and includes colleges of education, nursing and agriculture, it does not tackle the contentious issue of whether the distinction between universities and technikons should be blurred or not.
According to one source, the commission is split over this. However, in heavily embracing the new vision for an articulated, open learning education system “with flexible entry and exit points” that allows easy movement between institutions, it effectively backs a system that blurs the distinction.
The emphasis on flexibility calls for a high degree of co-ordination through the National Qualifications Framework which will place indirect curbs on institutional freedom.
The commission recommends a system of governance — a Higher Education Council and Higher Education Forum to play advisory and policy-making roles — that would give higher education some distance from the government.
Some in the education department, which has relinquished control of the schools to the provinces, are known to resist such a loss. Some academics may also resent a perceived loss of academic autonomy implicit in a high degree of co-ordination. The commission does, however, advise that “academic freedom for individuals in higher education institutions” be entrenched in the new constitution.
The governance proposals attempt to pre-empt the post-colonial fate of many African universities, which were brought under direct state control. Many countries, including Ghana, Tanzania and Kenya, have now introduced similar councils to prise government claws off universities.
The commission proposes that councils remain the highest decision-making bodies at institutional level, but should be more representative with 60% of membership drawn from outside the universities or technikons. Senates should become smaller, more effective bodies.
The commission recommends that institutions make bridging, entry-level courses part of their mainstream programmes and that further education providing adult basic education and greater access to higher education be expanded.
It pushes for redress to disadvantaged institutions to take place via “earmarked funding for development”, rather than by a simple formula.
Thus, higher education institutions will have to earn their funds by offering courses linking education to the demands of the economy and development imperatives of the country and shifting their emphasis towards science and technology.
While it addresses student demands for increased access to higher learning, the commission does not endorse their demand for an increased role in governance of their institutions. It proposes that transformation forums be legislated, but play an advisory role only and recommends the setting up of Students Services Councils with a “policy formulation role regarding student services”.
On the issue of student funding, the commission has already proposed a National Financial Aid Scheme, which it says should be extended to all students. The government has committed R300-million to the fund for this year, and the commission recommends it continues an “annual cash injection” and that more funds be raised from the private sector and international donors.