4 - The Contradictory and Complementary Relationship Between Student Constructive Engagement and Protest Strategies in South African Higher Education
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 6 No. 2-3 (2008): Journal of Higher Education in Africa
Abstract
Some claim that the present democratic state has made enormous progress in transforming South African society in general and higher education in particular. On the contrary, there is persistent and widening social inequality reflected in all spheres of life affecting predominantly poor, African and working class strata of society. On average, about 25 per cent of students leave higher education institu- tions annually in South Africa because they are excluded on academic and finan- cial grounds. To reduce dropout/exclusions student boycotts and protests are com- mon despite the institutionalisation of student participation (commonly referred to as ‘constructive engagement’) in higher education (HE) governance in 1997. The paper explores the dimensions of various protests and examines some of the effects of student participation in HE governance structures.
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- Altbach, P., 1998, ‘Student Political Development in the Third World’ in P. Altbach (ed.) Comparative Higher Education: Knowledge, the University and Development, Comparative Education Research Centre: The University of Hong Kong.
- Badat, S., 2002, ‘Challenges for Tertiary Education in Changing Higher Education Landscape’, keynote address to the Association of Student Development Practitioners Conference, Strand Beach Hotel, 19 September.
- Badat, S., Barends, Z., and Wolpe, H., 1995, The post-secondary Education Sys- tem: Towards Policy Formulation for Equality and Development, EPU, UWC. Bhorat, H., and Oosthuizen, M., 2007, ‘Young People and the Labour Market’, Africa Insight, Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 388-403.
- Bond, P., 2004, ‘South Africa tackles global apartheid: Is the reform strategy work- ing?’, in R. Banard, G. Farred, eds., ‘After the Thrill Is Gone: A Decade of Post-Apartheid South Africa’, South Atlantic Quarterly, Vol. 103, No. 4, pp. 817-839.
- Bunting, I., 1994, A Legacy of Inequality: Higher Education in South Africa, Rondebosch, UCT Press. Cape Talk, ‘John Latham Show’, March 2001.
- Cele, M., 2004, ‘The Changing Higher Education Landscape: Student Responses to Institutional Mergers’, paper presented at the South African Sociology Association Annual Congress: Ten Years into Democracy-challenges Facing South Africa, University of Free State, Bloemfontein, 27-30 June.
- Committee of Heads of Research and Technology, 2004, ‘Securing tomorrow today: the challenge of reproducing and transforming the social composition of new generations of South African science and technology person power’, Final Policy Report.
- Cronin, J., 2004, ‘The People Shall Govern Class Struggles and the Post-1994 State in South Africa’, unpublished.
- Department of Education, 2008, ‘Education Statistics in South Africa 2006’, Pretoria.
- Department of Education, 2005, ‘Higher Education Management Information Systems (HEMIS) Database’, Pretoria.
- Department of Education, 2001, ‘National Plan for Higher Education’, Pretoria. Department of Education, 1997, ‘Education White Paper 3: A Programme for the Transformation of Higher Education’, Pretoria: Government Gazette, The Higher Education Act (No.101), Pretoria.
- National Commission on Higher Education, 1996, ‘An Overview of a New Policy Framework for Higher Education Transformation’, Pretoria.
- Desai, A., and Pithouse, R., 2004, ‘What stank in the past is the present’s perfume: dispossession, resistance and repression in Mandela Park’, in R. Banard,G. Farred, eds., ‘After The Thrill Is Gone: A Decade of Post-Apartheid South Africa’, South Atlantic Quarterly, Vol. 103, No. 4.
- Koen, C., Cele, M., & Libhaber, A., 2006, ‘Student Activism and Student Exclu- sions in South Africa’, International Journal of Educational Development No. 26, pp. 404-414.
- Mail and Guardian, March 5–12 Edition, 2004.
- National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE), 1996, ‘An Overview of a New Policy Framework for Higher Education Transformation’, Pretoria.
- National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE) ‘Finance Task Group 4’, Report, April 1996.
- Nzimande, B., 2004, ‘Towards an Education System for Growth and Development: Assessing the Past Ten Years of Educational Transformation and Future Challenges from the Perspective of Parliament’, keynote address to the CEPD conference on the Role of Education in First Decade of Democracy: A Critical Review, April, Braamfontein.
- South African Student Congress (SASCO), 1996, ‘Political Report for the Annual Congress’, circulated to delegates.
- Subotzky, G., 2003, ‘Public Higher Education’, in A. Kraak, H. Perold, eds., Hu- man Resources Development: Education, Employment and Skills in South Af- rica, Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Press.
- The Leader, 1972, Former University of Durban Westville Library.
- The Guide to SA Higher Education, 7th Edition, 2007, International Education Association of South Africa.
- Wolpe, H., and Sehoole, T., 1995, ‘Higher Education financing Within the Con- text of Restructuring of Higher Education’, paper presented at the Minister of Education’s Higher Education Funding Conference, Eskom Conference Centre.
References
Altbach, P., 1998, ‘Student Political Development in the Third World’ in P. Altbach (ed.) Comparative Higher Education: Knowledge, the University and Development, Comparative Education Research Centre: The University of Hong Kong.
Badat, S., 2002, ‘Challenges for Tertiary Education in Changing Higher Education Landscape’, keynote address to the Association of Student Development Practitioners Conference, Strand Beach Hotel, 19 September.
Badat, S., Barends, Z., and Wolpe, H., 1995, The post-secondary Education Sys- tem: Towards Policy Formulation for Equality and Development, EPU, UWC. Bhorat, H., and Oosthuizen, M., 2007, ‘Young People and the Labour Market’, Africa Insight, Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 388-403.
Bond, P., 2004, ‘South Africa tackles global apartheid: Is the reform strategy work- ing?’, in R. Banard, G. Farred, eds., ‘After the Thrill Is Gone: A Decade of Post-Apartheid South Africa’, South Atlantic Quarterly, Vol. 103, No. 4, pp. 817-839.
Bunting, I., 1994, A Legacy of Inequality: Higher Education in South Africa, Rondebosch, UCT Press. Cape Talk, ‘John Latham Show’, March 2001.
Cele, M., 2004, ‘The Changing Higher Education Landscape: Student Responses to Institutional Mergers’, paper presented at the South African Sociology Association Annual Congress: Ten Years into Democracy-challenges Facing South Africa, University of Free State, Bloemfontein, 27-30 June.
Committee of Heads of Research and Technology, 2004, ‘Securing tomorrow today: the challenge of reproducing and transforming the social composition of new generations of South African science and technology person power’, Final Policy Report.
Cronin, J., 2004, ‘The People Shall Govern Class Struggles and the Post-1994 State in South Africa’, unpublished.
Department of Education, 2008, ‘Education Statistics in South Africa 2006’, Pretoria.
Department of Education, 2005, ‘Higher Education Management Information Systems (HEMIS) Database’, Pretoria.
Department of Education, 2001, ‘National Plan for Higher Education’, Pretoria. Department of Education, 1997, ‘Education White Paper 3: A Programme for the Transformation of Higher Education’, Pretoria: Government Gazette, The Higher Education Act (No.101), Pretoria.
National Commission on Higher Education, 1996, ‘An Overview of a New Policy Framework for Higher Education Transformation’, Pretoria.
Desai, A., and Pithouse, R., 2004, ‘What stank in the past is the present’s perfume: dispossession, resistance and repression in Mandela Park’, in R. Banard,G. Farred, eds., ‘After The Thrill Is Gone: A Decade of Post-Apartheid South Africa’, South Atlantic Quarterly, Vol. 103, No. 4.
Koen, C., Cele, M., & Libhaber, A., 2006, ‘Student Activism and Student Exclu- sions in South Africa’, International Journal of Educational Development No. 26, pp. 404-414.
Mail and Guardian, March 5–12 Edition, 2004.
National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE), 1996, ‘An Overview of a New Policy Framework for Higher Education Transformation’, Pretoria.
National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE) ‘Finance Task Group 4’, Report, April 1996.
Nzimande, B., 2004, ‘Towards an Education System for Growth and Development: Assessing the Past Ten Years of Educational Transformation and Future Challenges from the Perspective of Parliament’, keynote address to the CEPD conference on the Role of Education in First Decade of Democracy: A Critical Review, April, Braamfontein.
South African Student Congress (SASCO), 1996, ‘Political Report for the Annual Congress’, circulated to delegates.
Subotzky, G., 2003, ‘Public Higher Education’, in A. Kraak, H. Perold, eds., Hu- man Resources Development: Education, Employment and Skills in South Af- rica, Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Press.
The Leader, 1972, Former University of Durban Westville Library.
The Guide to SA Higher Education, 7th Edition, 2007, International Education Association of South Africa.
Wolpe, H., and Sehoole, T., 1995, ‘Higher Education financing Within the Con- text of Restructuring of Higher Education’, paper presented at the Minister of Education’s Higher Education Funding Conference, Eskom Conference Centre.