Fellow Comrades
It is indeed accurate that "autonomy" of institutions of higher learning have
created a monster for citizen's right to education and our Utopian goal of free
education for all.As our priorities for the coming five years of JZ
Administration,it is incumbent of us to single out all issues that have not
benefitted us in the past years,"UNISA Fracas" as a case in point.
What our Ministers will battle to achieve is to leave all these conservatives
run the show and our 22ND Elections expectation will be forever become a
pipe-dream.
Pointers have shown that Violent Student Uprising have grown up in the last
twelve months equal to the service delivery protests totalling around 8000/year
in South Africa(SAPS Records).The bottom line is and will be what causes them???
* High Tuition Fees
* CEO's earning high salaries and even near beyond Ministers
* Students kicked out of Exam and/or Lecture rooms due to unpaid fees
* Uncultural,Racist behaviour in some institutions of higher learning
* Bad treatment of workers by mamagers in some institutions
* Lack of engagement of Trade Unions in these institutions in decision
making
* Unilateral decision making processes
Like our fellow leaders have said and continue to say this must be
stopped.Academics must divorce the tendency of sitting on the fence and
critisice but must knuckle themselves in offering solutions.High performance
will require of us all,a change in mindset.Learning new and different ways of
doing things is not a sin.We must take a cue from JZ Administration as a case
in point!!!!Period!
Tendencies of people such as "Our Hounarable Vice Chancellor " must be
stopped,disallowed and out-rooted.In simple terms as said he must go!!
Togetherness of all stakeholders must be a glue that hold the centre for
Free,Quality Public Education for All.Costs in education provision should never
become a barrier t o access it.
It is not yet Uhuru!!!!!
Mampane Norman
National Educator
POPCRU
(He writes in his personal capacity)
________________________________
From: Castro Ngobese <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 2:41:07 PM
Subject: [YCLSA Discussion] PROF BARNEY PITYANA MUST GO!
Prof Barney Pityana must go!
11 May 2009
The Young Communist League of South Africa and the South African Students’
Congress notes the immoral and nonsensical decision of UNISA in pursuance of
profits maximisation and violation of students rights access to education as
guaranteed in the constitution.
The decision by UNISA to deny more than 200 000 students to write their
mid-year exams is a major cause for concern in the midst of the ANC led
government renewed efforts of improving access to higher education for the
working class and the poor.
The YCLSA and SASCO strongly believe that UNISA and other institutions of
higher learning should not subject education to the whims of the market
fundamentals and be sold at a highest price. This raises serious and
fundamental questions around the commodification of education, in the midst of
escalating high cost of living and grinding poverty amongst the majority of
South Africans, especially amongst the working class and the poor.
We urge UNISA to act in the interests of these 200 000 thousands who deserve
the necessary skills and a future, and above all including a better and quality
education in order to meet the needs and demands of our people as informed by
our overall political economy. As the YCLSA and SASCO in the absence of free
education and clear leadership at UNISA that all the affected students are
given an opportunity to write and continue with their academic studies.
We are also concerned by lack of vision and leadership qualities of Prof Barney
Pityana who was opportunistically and cowardly being used to facilitate
leadership positions for his political buddies at the Congress of the People
[COPE]. This clearly demonstrates that Pityana’s passion is not in the academia
given the mess and chaos UNISA finds itself. The prestigious position that
Pityana occupies cannot be abused by him to fulfil his personal egos and
personal political ambitions at the expense of the students. This call for
Pityana to be showed the door to allow UNISA to have a new, clear and focused
leader who will address the pressing needs and demands of students especially
for the working class and the poor.
We call on the newly appointed Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr
Blade Nzimande to hasten long overdue programme to regulate fees in
institutions of higher learning, as a strategic role player in the skills
development of our country.
Issued by YCLSA
Contact:
Castro Ngobese
YCLSA National Spokesperson – 082 567 3557
Or
Magasela Mzobe
SASCO Secretary General – 083 563 7942
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