THE crisis engulfing universities across the country will take centre stage in Parliament on Wednesday.The Department of Higher Education is due to brief members of the portfolio committee on higher education and training, and the select committee on education and recreation on the government’s 2017 "fee-support to students from poor, working-and middle-class families".Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande’s announcement in September to cap fee increases at 8% and to assist the poor and so-called missing middle has led to widespread and often violent protests across campuses, forcing some universities to close doors.Tensions continue to run high as students intensify their campaign for no-fee increase across the board and, ultimately, free education. The University of the Witwatersrand has been the hardest hit by violent protests.Other institutions including the University of Cape Town and the University of the Western Cape, have been forced to suspend academic activities to allo...
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