The higher education sector is delicately poised. Billions of rands are being pumped into the infrastructural renaissance on campuses, while a growth plan is looking to increase the number of students from 738Â 000 in 2005 to 820Â 000 in 2010.
Furthermore, the government is throwing its weight into funding the production of high quality graduates in science, engineering and technology.
In keeping with this massive contribution to the sector, Education Minister Naledi Pandor reminded the vice-chancellors who attended her budget speech in Parliament at the end of May of what the sector has to achieve. She also emphasised that, given the high level of government funding, the sector needs to review its fee levels.
She lashed out at institutional leaders who have treated public finances as personal accounts, failures in institutional leadership and academics who don’t have pride in “original intellectual work”.
In the next five years higher education institutions will, more than ever before, need to show their mettle and vice-chancellors need to show sound financial management skills. Since vacancies for vice-chancellors have arisen, it is imperative that visionary, honest and committed leaders are found to head universities.
Rich legacy
The University of Fort Hare’s turnaround from being in a cesspit of financial malaise to one enjoying a budget surplus is commendable. Even today, not many universities enjoy healthy balance sheets, while financial management skills appear weak at a few institutions. Who would have thought, eight years ago, that there was light at the end of the tunnel for this Âinstitution which could have been subsumed in a merger?
Higher Learning fervently hopes that a person of sound academic mind and financial will continues the work of Derrick Swartz, who leaves behind him a legacy.