Finally – How government plans to fund free education

Mail & Guardian 23 February 2018

A month after university registrations opened, Treasury has finally answered the big question regarding how government will fund free higher education – as expected it comes with significant cuts in government expenditure, writes Tebogo Tshwane for the Mail & Guardian.

In his maiden budget speech Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba announced that an additional ZAR57 billion (US$4.9 billion) over the next three years had been allocated to fund free higher education for students who come from poor or working-class families with a combined income of ZAR350,000 (US$30,000). This is on top of the ZAR10 billion which was provisionally allocated in the 2017 budget.

Allocations for fully subsidised higher education and training for poor and working-class students amount to ZAR12.4 billion in 2018, ZAR20.3 billion in 2019 and ZAR24.3 billion in 2020. But the policy does not come without costs. Cuts in existing government spending have been made across the board from national to local level.
Full report on the Mail & Guardian site

Receive UWN's free weekly e-newsletters

Sponsored Article

Getting to net zero, one community at a time

University of Victoria staff

Accelerating Community Energy Transformation is a University of Victoria-led collaborative initiative that brings together over 40 partners, including Indigenous knowledge keepers and community leaders, to create innovative place-based solutions for energy system transformation.

Promoted by the University of Victoria.

Sponsored Article

Africa pays a premium for global climate change sluggishness

Stellenbosch University staff

Africa needs to stop paying the price for the rest of the world’s recalcitrance to act fast enough in response to the irrefutable conclusions that climate change is real and that the impact of global warming could be devasting, says Professor Guy Midgley, interim director of the School for Climate Studies at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Promoted by Stellenbosch University.

Sponsored Article

Innovations to ensure energy savings in a hot, arid climate

UAE University staff

Researchers from the United Arab Emirates University have shown that the potential benefits of building energy savings and a cooler indoor environment, as well as improved cooling effect on air temperature at pedestrian level, strongly indicate that a cool roof with high solar reflectance and albedo is a promising strategy for buildings in regions with hot, arid climates.

Promoted by United Arab Emirates University.

Sponsored Article

A new global university ranking with an ethical mission

Aftab Dean

A new university ranking system aims to serve as a catalyst for positive transformation in higher education, ensuring that universities create an environment grounded in integrity and sustainability that inspires and supports students and staff in the development of novel solutions to global challenges.

Promoted by Globethics.net.

Sponsored Article

SDG progress report launches university into new territory

University of Pretoria staff

In the publication of its first progress report on its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, the University of Pretoria is navigating new territory at the same time as it is acknowledging its clear stewardship role in protecting the environment and biodiversity.

Promoted by the University of Pretoria.