logo
South Africa: Portfolio Committee on Higher Education Raises Concerns about University of the Free State's (UFS) Employment Equity and Student Welfare

South Africa: Portfolio Committee on Higher Education Raises Concerns about University of the Free State's (UFS) Employment Equity and Student Welfare

Zawya25-03-2025

The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education has expressed concern about the University of the Free State's (UFS) employment of 141 foreign academics as well as 26 foreign support staff. The committee is currently conducting a week-long oversight visit to post-school education and training institutions in the Free State to assess academic readiness and infrastructure.
During engagements with UFS senior management, labour unions, student representatives and other stakeholders, the committee acknowledged the cordial relations between university leadership and its stakeholders. However, it urged UFS to prioritise the development and hiring of local talent where possible, cautioning against over-reliance on the 'scarce skills' argument to justify overlooking qualified South African candidates.
The committee also raised concerns about the underrepresentation of African, Coloured, and Indian staff in professorships and associate professorships, highlighting ongoing transformation challenges at UFS. University management acknowledged that there is a need to address employment equity, agreeing on the need for greater diversity in leadership to better reflect to the Free State's demographics.
On language policy, the committee supported student preferences for English as the medium of instruction and noted concerns that there are lecturers who insist on only using Afrikaans to teach students. Additionally, while the student representative council advocated for better support for pregnant students, the committee reminded them that this responsibility cannot fall on the university.
Regarding the Qwaqwa campus, the committee emphasised the need for accredited student accommodation, noting that academic success rates are higher among students residing in university housing compared to those staying at home. The committee Chairperson, Mr Tebogo Letsie, said, 'Pouring billions into student housing without accountability means students may end up in substandard conditions.'
Today the committee will conduct an oversight visit to Motheo TVET Colleges National Artisan Development Academy and Central University of Technology main campus in Bloemfontein.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Climate change heightens risk of Indian farmer suicides
Climate change heightens risk of Indian farmer suicides

Gulf Today

time2 hours ago

  • Gulf Today

Climate change heightens risk of Indian farmer suicides

On a small farm in India's Maharashtra state, Mirabai Khindkar said the only thing her land grew was debt, after crops failed in drought and her husband killed himself. Farmer suicides have a long history in India, where many are one crop failure away from disaster, but extreme weather caused by climate change is adding fresh pressure. Dwindling yields due to water shortages, floods, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall, coupled with crippling debt, have taken a heavy toll on a sector that employs 45 percent of India's 1.4 billion people. Mirabhai's husband Amol was left with debts to loan sharks worth hundreds of times their farm's annual income, after the one-hectare soybean, millet and cotton plot withered in scorching heat. He swallowed poison last year. "When he was in the hospital, I prayed to all the gods to save him," said 30-year-old Mirabai, her voice breaking. Amol died a week later, leaving behind Mirabai and three children. Her last conversation with him was about debt. Their personal tragedy is replicated daily across Marathwada, a region in Maharashtra of 18 million, once known for fertile farmland. Last year, extreme weather events across India affected 3.2 million hectares (7.9 million acres) of cropland - an area bigger than Belgium - according to the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment research group. Over 60 per cent of that was in Maharashtra. "Summers are extreme, and even if we do what is necessary, the yield is not enough," said Amol's brother and fellow farmer Balaji Khindkar. "There is not enough water to irrigate the fields. It doesn't rain properly." Between 2022 and 2024, 3,090 farmers took their own lives in Marathwada, an average of nearly three a day, according to India's Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan. People walk across the dried-up Godavari river in Beed district in Maharashtra. File / AFP Government statistics do not specify what drove the farmers to kill themselves, but analysts point to several likely factors. "Farmer suicides in India are a consequence of the crisis of incomes, investment and productivity that you have in agriculture," said R. Ramakumar, professor of development studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Farming across many Indian smallholdings is done largely as it has been for centuries, and is highly dependent on the right weather at the correct time. "What climate change and its vulnerabilities and variabilities have done is to increase the risks in farming," Ramakumar said. This "is leading to crop failures, uncertainties... which is further weakening the economics of cultivation for small and marginal farmers." The government could support farmers with better insurance schemes to cope with extreme weather events, as well as investments in agricultural research, Ramakumar said. "Agriculture should not be a gamble with the monsoon." Faced with uncertain weather, farmers often look to stem falling yields by investing in fertilisers or irrigation systems. But banks can be reluctant to offer credit to such uncertain borrowers. Some turn to loan sharks offering quick cash at exorbitant interest rates, and risking catastrophe if crops fail. "It is difficult to make ends meet with just farming," Mirabai said, standing outside her home, a tin-roofed hut with patch-cloth walls. Khadija Bi (right), whose son Shaikh Latif Sheru, a farmer who committed suicide due to mounting financial loans, sits under the shade of a tree along with her family members at their farmland in Mochi Pimpalgaon village of Beed district. File / AFP Her husband's loans soared to over $8,000, a huge sum in India, where the average monthly income of a farming household is around $120. Mirabai works on other farms as a labourer but could not pay back the debt. "The loan instalments piled up," she said, adding that she wants her children to find jobs outside of farming when they grow up. "Nothing comes out of the farm." The agricultural industry has been in a persistent crisis for decades. And while Maharashtra has some of the highest suicide rates, the problem is nationwide. Thirty people in the farming sector killed themselves every day in 2022, according to national crime records bureau statistics. At another farm in Marathwada, 32-year-old farmer Shaikh Imran took over the running of the family smallholding last year after his brother took his own life. He is already more than $1,100 in debt after borrowing to plant soybean. The crop failed. Meanwhile, the pop of explosives echoes around as farmers blast wells, hoping to hit water. "There's no water to drink," said family matriarch Khatijabi. "Where shall we get water to irrigate the farm?" Agence France-Presse

MP Priya reflects on three-year wait before engagement to Rinku, says it was worth every second
MP Priya reflects on three-year wait before engagement to Rinku, says it was worth every second

Gulf Today

timea day ago

  • Gulf Today

MP Priya reflects on three-year wait before engagement to Rinku, says it was worth every second

Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj took to social media to post a heartwarming message after getting engaged to Indian cricketer Rinku Singh and reflected on the long road they had to take to get here. The engagement took place on Sunday in Lucknow with their wedding date locked in for November 18 at the Taj Hotel in Varanasi. "This day has been in our hearts for so long — almost three years — and the wait was worth every second. Engaged — with full hearts and a forever to go," posted Priya Saroj on her 'X' account. Besides the families of Rinku and Priya, several prominent leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Jaya Bachchan along with Ram Gopal Yadav and Shivpal Yadav, attended the ceremony. Board of Control of Cricket India (BCC) vice-president Rajeev Shukla was also present at the ceremony to extend his best wishes to the couple. However, several of Rinku's teammates couldn't make it to his engagement celebration, as the Indian Test squad has already departed for England ahead of the Test series starting June 20. Former India cricketer Praveen Kumar was in attendance and extended his heartfelt wishes to the couple on their special day. Rinku Singh, Priya Saroj with family members and friends during their engagement ceremony. Photo / X Rinku, hailing from Aligarh, has played two ODIs and 33 T20Is for India in the last couple of years and is an important member of the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, who lifted the title in the 2024 season. The 26-year-old Priya is a first-time MP from Jaunpur's Machhlishahr constituency. Priya, a practising advocate, is known for her legal acumen and youthful energy. She is among India's youngest MPs. Hailing from Karkhiyaon village in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, she has continued her father's legacy with her career in politics. Her father, Tufani Saroj, is a three-time MP and current MLA from UP's Kerakat. Priya began her career as a politician in 2024 after she was elected as the MP of Machhlishahr after defeating BJP veteran BP Saroj by over 35,000 votes. Indo-Asian News Service

Mohamed bin Zayed: UAE keen to boost dev. cooperation with Africa
Mohamed bin Zayed: UAE keen to boost dev. cooperation with Africa

Sharjah 24

timea day ago

  • Sharjah 24

Mohamed bin Zayed: UAE keen to boost dev. cooperation with Africa

Focus on development and sustainable growth The conversation centered on supporting development priorities and the shared objective of achieving sustainable growth and prosperity for both nations. Exchange of Eid greetings President Lourenço extended Eid Al-Adha greetings to His Highness Sheikh Commitment to regional and global collaboration Both leaders discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest, reaffirming their commitment to advancing UAE-African cooperation, especially in development and economic partnerships. UAE's vision for Africa His Highness Sheikh Mohamed emphasised the UAE's dedication to deepening cooperation with African nations through constructive and impactful partnerships that foster stability and shared progress.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store