'Populist' free higher education could cause problems

While there has been a general public welcome to the New Year’s Day announcement by Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth that public higher education would be made free, critics have deplored reckless populism, and expressed fears of economic problems and a drop in standards.

The prime minister’s office told L’Express of Port Louis the reform would cost the state about MUR1 billion (US$29.5 million), not counting subsidies currently paid to public higher education institutions.

There are 10 public higher education institutions, headed by the University of Mauritius (UoM) with 12,500 students, where fees are currently MUR13,000 (US$380), representing MUR400 million a year, reported L’Express.

Full details of the fees abolition were not due to be announced yet, but L’Express reported some academics feared economic catastrophe and lower educational quality. Critics’ worries included lack of identification of priority educational sectors and already dilapidated university buildings.

Roukaya Kasenally, senior lecturer at UoM, asked: “Where will the money come from? There will be sacrifices in research and infrastructure, and we know universities already have infrastructure problems. Libraries, laboratories, books and even classrooms leave much to be desired and give rise to criticisms.”

She added, “It seems that it’s only a political populist announcement. Free higher education. It stops at that. There has been no consultation with the different institutions.”

The proposal goes against UoM plans to restructure its programmes to rationalise first-cycle courses and prioritise research and postgraduate teaching, reported L’Express.

“That’s all unresolved, making UoM a research institution is unresolved. By the way, once again it’s research that risks taking a low blow. Will we still have money for research?” demanded Kasenally.

While saying no-one could object to the principle of free education, Vasant Bunwaree, former minister of education and minister of finance, said the quality of education would initially fall drastically, reported L’Express.

“Having been finance minister I can say money is always found. But at the expense of what and whom?” – Compiled by Jane Marshall

This article is drawn from local media. University World News cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original reports.