Union wants urgent answers on how free education will work
9 January 2018
Cape Town – The country needs an urgent explanation on how free education for the poor and academically deserving, announced last month by President Jacob Zuma, will be implemented and paid for, two unions said on Monday.
"It is critical for our institutions, students and our country that the implementation and budget plan be confirmed very soon. Who's paying for this, how is it going to be done and where is the money coming from?" asked the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
"We must stop playing politics with our children's future," said NTEU President Dimakatso Peo on behalf of the staff represented by the union, amid concerns over mass walk-ins to universities by students applying for places after Zuma's announcement.
While she welcomed Zuma's December 16 announcement on the plan for free higher education, Peo expressed concern over the lack of clarity around its implementation, and the "elusive" responses by Cabinet members questioned on the strategy.