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NWU dismisses fee increase allegations

───   16:53 Thu, 19 Oct 2017

NWU dismisses fee increase allegations | News Article

The North-West University (NWU) has not yet made any decision regarding fee increases for 2018.


This according to NWU spokesperson, Louis Jacobs, following media reports in which the Higher Education Transformation Network (HETN) condemned unilateral fee increments at this institution, the Stellenbosch University and the Central University of Technology (CUT) in Bloemfontein. 

The HETN this week urged President Jacob Zuma to release the final report of the Fees Commission in an effort to avoid possible disruptions in higher education. Jacobs, however, denies a statement by the HETN saying the NWU has apparently unilaterally made an announcement about a fee increase. 

He says the NWU is still in the process of budgeting for 2018 and any announcement regarding fee increases will only be made once they have gone through a proper consultation process with the necessary stakeholders.

According to Jacobs, fee increases have to be approved by the NWU Council before it can be announced. The next council meeting has been scheduled for the end of November and “only then an announcement will probably be made with regard to any possible fee increase.”

Jacobs adds the Student Representative Council is involved in the consultation process regarding fee increases.

Meanwhile, the Stellenbosch University has announced this week that its student fees will increase by 8% in 2018. This despite most South African universities indicating they'll be awaiting Zuma's Fee Commission outcome before making any fee announcements.

In a statement, the university said the institution's long-term financial stability and world-class academic qualifications depends on the fee increase.

HETN chairperson, Reginald Legoabe, has called on all university vice-chancellors and their councils to cease their unilateralism and delay their management planning cycles, and desist from unilaterally raising fees for the academic year of 2018 outside state policy pronouncements.

 He also called for the gazetting of the policy findings by the Fees Commission and Department of Higher Education and Training. CUT has not responded to OFM News’ enquiry yet.


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