Gordhan promises a concerted but sensible attempt to fix student funding
But the finance minister seems to have put paid to suggestions for a graduate tax
The government is doing the best it can to address the funding challenges in higher education, within a constrained fiscal environment, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Wednesday. Gordhan said in his budget speech in Parliament that the government was determined to address the challenges identified in post-school education and training in a phased manner. Resources would be taken into account in determining the pace with which these could be addressed, he said. But he appeared to put the nail in the coffin of a graduate tax‚ saying the funds raised would not be nearly enough to cover the running costs of South African universities. “Government recognises the needs articulated by students in universities and TVET [technical and vocational education and training] colleges,” the minister said. Gordhan said in addition to the increases of R32bn made in the higher education allocations in last year’s budget, and the 2016 medium-term budget policy statement, a further R5bn in the o...
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