2 October 2014 MEDIA STATEMENT FROM A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN UNIVERSITY COUNCILS CHAIRPERSONS FORUM – SA (UCCF-SA); HIGHER EDUCATION SOUTH AFRICA (HESA); SOUTH AFRICAN STUDENTS UNION (SAUS) AND DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING (DHET) ON VIOLENT STUDENT PROTETS AT UNIVERSITIES Representatives from UCCF - SA, HESA, SAUS and DHET met on 30 September 2014 to explore solutions for the violent student protests at some universities. All the parties unanimously agreed that student protests or demonstrations that result in destruction of university and private property and infringe upon the rights of others to peaceful assembly cannot be condoned through being tolerated. In order to stem the tide against these violent student protests, the parties agreed on a set of measures to be explored, and they include the following: a. Acknowledging that most of the protests were linked to inadequacy of NSFAS funding allocations to universities and the administration thereof; each university should consider developing and publishing, in the spirit of transparency, a NSFAS plan before the end of each academic year; b. In the light of the violent nature of some of the student protests, universities were urged to consider developing, in consultation with relevant structures, a protest policy, which will spell out the rights and responsibilities of all parties during protests and demonstration; c. In order to shorten the length of student protests after all internal avenues have been exhausted and where it is practicably possible, consideration should be given by universities to establish a Conflict Resolution Committee, as a sub-committee of Council with only external members with mediation expertise and experience. Such a Committee should be used by a Vice-Chancellor as a last resort, as part of a deadlock-breaking mechanism between University Management and Students; and d. The challenge insufficient funding and the higher demand for Higher Education would require a further discussion; and it is proposed that it features prominently at the Higher Education Summit. Addressing the funding deficit is a necessary condition for the overall health of our Higher Education system. The highly constructive meeting ended with consensus that there was a need for a longer and regular engagement between the higher education constituencies in the near future. For more information, kindly contact: Dr Jeffrey Mabelebele, Chief Executive Officer of HESA (012) 481 2842 or 083 278 3359
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 06:37:11 +0000
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