Mail & Guardian reporter
The Council on Higher Education is a powerful and broadly based body advising the minister on every facet of the sector.
The council was established under the provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1997, and the first council was appointed in June 1998 with Professor Wiseman Nkhulu as chair.
It advises the education minister on matters relating to the structure, planning and governance of the higher education sector, funding formulas, student financial aid and support services, quality promotion and control, as well as research and language policies. The minister must provide reasons in writing if the advice and recommendations of the council are not accepted.
The council has 13 ordinary members and a chair appointed by the minister after public nominations. Particular attention is given to nominations from student organisations, academic staff, other tertiary education staff, university and technikon principals, private higher education institutions, and business and labour.
The council has requested a larger budget from the Department of Education, in order to satisfactorily discharge its mandate. According to the education ministry, “the level of co-operation from the Council on Higher Education is excellent”, but “the roles and functions of the council and the department continue to require clarification”.