Education for All
What has been happening?
South Africa's university students are standing up for their rights and want college tuition's rates to not increase. It is already becoming expensive as it is. White minorities are the only ones who seem to be able to afford universities, whereas South Africans are struggling to afford to go to universities. Higher education is now being seen as a luxurious things, and all these students want is for universities to be more affordable so anyone can earn a degree and be more successful in life.
According to CNN News.com, authors Basani Baloyi and Gilad Isaacs stated how "An unprecedented movement of student activism has been sweeping South African university campuses and cities, culminating in a march on the historic Union buildings on Friday 23 October, the seat of the South African government. Not since the Soweto Uprising of 1976 have this many youth arisen to demand the right to quality and accessible education."
Why are South African students struggling in general?
South Africa is seen as being the most unequal society in the world. Many people are struggling to get by. Their youth also faces many problems. First of all, a third of their young people who are aged from 15-24 are either not employed or higher education. Also their unemployment rate for the youth is at 50%.
Set aside from university students, primary and secondary students are also experiencing problems. Many aren't finishing high school. Also schools that are located in black townships and in rural areas tend to have the least access to quality education.
Many of these students who are protesting didn't come from poor background but they all have one thing in common, which is that fees represent access, which leads to higher education and to better life, one filled with success. (Baloyi&Isaacs)
Why are students protesting?
Students are seeing the fee as something that will lead them to a lifetime of debt, which is what they don't want. Many students find themselves in the middle as in not being poor enough to qualify for National Student Financial Aid schemes, and then also not being wealthy enough to afford the rise in university fees, which is devastating. (Aliki Saragas)
Due to these sudden changes, many students are protesting and feel upset because they can't believe how expensive universities will become and will continue to become, as the years go by. Soon higher education will be for minorities, and not for everyone.
Also the protests and student demands are not only about access but about the nature of higher education. "Academia in South Africa remains a white, predominantly male space. In 2012, white academics made up 53% of full-time permanent academic staff. That is a staggering amount when you consider that white people make up only 8% of the population"(Baloyi&Isaacs).
What has occurred after these protests?
"The students have won their demand of a 0% increase in tuition fees, with planned fee increases of up to 11.5%, at the heart of the protests. However, as ongoing demonstrations prove, the students' demands have been deeper than this. They have called for the "decolonization" and "transformation" of higher education institutions, the insourcing of outsourced workers (mostly cleaning, security and support staff, often the most vulnerable workers), and the release of their classmates arrested earlier in the week"(Baloyi&Isaacs). On October 23rd, in President Zuma of South Africa announces no increase in tuition fees due to the student protests.
In Conclusion
These students proved that change can happen. All you need to do is speak your mind and stand up for your rights. This is only the first step to a better education system for all these students, and they plan to stand up for their rights.
1st article link:http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/27/africa/fees-must-fall-student-protest-south-africa-explainer/index.html
2nd article link: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2015/10/south-african-students-protest-education-fee-hike-151025113254387.html
YouTube video:
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