The Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training (“the Fees Commission) was established in January 2016 to inquire into, report on and make recommendations on the feasibility of a fee free higher education and training in South Africa.
Chaired by Justice Jonathan Arthur Heher, the commission has been, from the outset, hard pressed to urgently deliver on its mandate.
Since it was established in January, the Commission has been meticulously studying past and current legislation relevant to both basic and higher education & training in South Africa. This includes all policies, legislations, reports and recommendations made by previous Presidential and Ministerial task teams.
It was also during this time that the Commission received and processed more than 180 written submissions from all stakeholders in the higher education and training sector. Supplementary submissions are still being received to this day.
A huge chunk of the time was also spent embarking on a comprehensive process of engaging a wide array of stakeholders ranging from student leadership, university councils and management forums, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) structures, business formations, government departments and their agencies, research-based Higher Education and Training Non-Governmental Organisations, members of the public and civil society in general.
The Commission is now able to say that all these stakeholders are very much committed to the process of the inquiry and are ready to make informed inputs during the public hearings starting at Council Chambers (Sammy Marks Square) in Pretoria on Wednesday, 10 August 2016.
The hearings will assume an inquisitorial approach and will be based on eight sets of focus areas.
Unfortunately the questions are far too complex, ruling out a quick “yes or no” response. A closer look at the commission’s statutory mandate reveals a need for a thorough- going interrogation of the following questions, amongst others.
Set 1.
What is the environment within which this commission has to base its recommendations? (OVERVIEW)
Set 2.
What is the post-school education & training landscape really like in South Africa?
Set 3.
How do institutions of higher education & training get funded currently and what are the operational costs that these funds address?
Set 4.
What are the modes of funding that are currently available to students?
Set 5.
What is the actual meaning and content of “fee-free” higher education & training?
Set 6.
What are the alternative sources of funding for higher education & training?
Set 7.
What are the social, economic and financial implications for a fee-free higher education & training in South Africa?
Set 8.
Is a fee-free higher education and training feasible is South Africa?
On their own, the above-mentioned focus areas present a formidable task for the commission. Add to this the requirement for it to consult all communities as widely as possible–meaning on a national level –and you will begin to appreciate the magnitude of the assignment.
This is the reason why Justice Heher had to request an extension to the originally prescribed time frame. The amendment, two weeks ago, to the commission’s terms of reference by President Zuma means the commission will now submit a preliminary report in November 2016 and a final report by June 2017.
The judge is ably assisted by two commissioners in Advocate Gregory Ally and Ms Thembisile Khumalo, a practicing attorney. Completing the team are four evidence leaders (Advocates Kameshni Pillay SC, Mandla Zulu, Matseleng Lekoane and Tshifiwa Mabuda) as well as two higher education and training experts in Dr Genevieve Simpson and Professor Themba Mosia.
The commission will commence with the first round of public hearings in Pretoria on August 10 ending in Kimberly early September. The subsequent rounds of consultations are scheduled to conclude in March 2017.
For enquiries contact:
Musa Ndwandwe
Spokesperson
Cell: 071 749 6167
E-mail: MuNdwandwe@justice.gov.za
Andile Tshona
Media Liaison Officer
Cell: 073 566 3345
E-mail: ATshona@justice.gov.za or Tshona_ab@yahoo.com.
