Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma on Thursday announced he had received an interim report from the commission he set up to investigate the feasibility of free higher education.
“The Chairperson of the Commission, Judge Jonathan Heher, has submitted the Interim Report to the President, after only three of the proposed eight sets into which the Commission had divided its work have been completed,” a statement from the presidency said.
“According to the Commission, the structure was determined with an appreciation that no properly informed recommendation could be submitted by the Commission without a full understanding of the factors that control and influence higher education and training in South Africa.”
The three sets of work by the commission include an overview by stakeholders on the terms of reference of the commission, post-school education and training, and the funding of tertiary institutions and how they fund their operational costs.
“President Zuma will study the interim report and give direction on the way forward.”
Zuma established the commission in January this year following months of countrywide violent protests on university campuses under the #FeesMustFall banner. The protests continued this year, with several universities shut down after government did not meet its demands to provide free education for all.
The commission was originally given eight months to complete its work, but the deadline was later extended to June 30 next year.
African News Agency