Itshe limi ngothi nkombose kababa kwaNgqondonkulu nakuNzimande
NGONYAKA we-1999 eGermany kwaqala umzabalazo owehlukile. Lona kwakungumzabalazo wokulwela imfundo yamahhala. Lo mzabalazo owawungaphansi kophahla lwenhlangano i-Alliance Against Tuition Fees eyayenziwe zinhlangano ezingama-200 ezazihlanganisa abafundi, izinyunyana namaqembu ezepolitiki
Zonke lezi zinhlangano zazibophezela ekutheni iGermany kumele ibe yizwe lapho imfundo iba mahhala. Njengengxenye yalo mkhankaso izitaladi zazigcwala abafundi kuzo zonke izifundazwe zaseGermany, kwakuba khona izinkulumompikiswano, ukuqhinqa kanti abagqugquzeli babeqinisekisa ukuthi lolu daba luba yingxenye yemikhankaso yokhetho. Lokhu kwadala ingcindezi kuhulumeni nakubaphathi bakwaNgqondonkulu.
Umzabalazo owaqala njengento encane ethinta abathile kuphela waphetha usunabele emphakathini wonke ngoba wonke umuntu, ngisho ngabe engeyena umfundi lolu daba lwalumthinta ngandlela thizeni ngoba yize abanye babengebona abafundi kepha babengabazali okuyibo ekugcineni abakhokhayo. Uvuthondaba lo mkhankaso waseGermany kwaba yinhlolovo eyaba wukubhaliswa kwamagama abantu abahambisana nalo mzabalazo nabathi akube nokhetho lwenhlolovo ngalolu daba. Lokhu kwaphendula amatafula ngoba abantu abayi-1 350 000 babhalisa ukweseka umkhankaso. Lesi sibalo sasisho ukuthi amaphesenti ali-15 abavoti bamaJalimane bayavumelana nomkhankaso. Ngokubona lokhu uhulumeni wabe esememezela ukuthi sekuzoba nemfundo yamahhala.
Umlando waseGermany ubukeka ungase uziphinde eNingizimu Afrika emuveni kokuthi abafundi bakwaNgqondonkulu kulo lonke leli beqale umzabalazo wokuba kube nemfundo yamahhala. Lo mnyakazo oqale kwaNqondonkulu eWits usukapakele nakwezinye izikhungo. NjengaseGermany abagqugquzeli kubukeka besophe ukuba umzabalazo ungabi ngowabafundi nje kuphela kepha ube ngowomphakathi wonke. Olimini lwabafundi abasekhaleni lalo mkhankaso ‘ngabazali emindeni ehluphekayo’. Lokhu nje kukodwa kuyayisusa impi kwaNgqondonkulu kuyilethe emphakathini jikelele.
Ekhuluma emcimbini wesikhwama iJacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma Foundation, owawuseThekwini ngenyanga kaNhlangulana 2015, uMengameli wezwe, uMhlonishwa uJacob Zuma wathi uhulumeni wakhe uhlose ukuba kube nemfundo yamahhala kuleli: “Siyakholwa wukuthi imfundo kumele ingadayiswa njengento yabantu abathize abayidlanzana. Uhulumeni wethu uzimisele ukuvula iminyango yemfundo.” Njengobufakazi bokuzimisela kukahulumeni wakhe, uZuma wakhomba isikhwama seNational Student Finacial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) njengeminye yemizamo kahulumeni.
Nokho okwenzeke kusuka ngesonto eledlule kukhomba ukuthi abafundi bakuleli sebephelelwe wukubekezela nokuthi kabakholwa ukuthi osopolitiki banentshisekelo yokwenza imfundo yakuleli ibe ngeyamahhala. Okwenzeke kwaNgqondonkulu eWits lapho abafundi bevale onke amasango kwama nezinhlelo zokufunda kuveze isithombe sokuthi uMnyango kanjalo nabaphathi bezikhungo bebengazilungiselele ukubhekana nalesi simo. OkwaseWits kwenzeka nje uNgqongqoshe WezeMfundo EPhakeme, uDkt uBonginkosi ‘Blade’ Nzimande ubize umhlangano wabaphathi bezikhungo eThekwini. Lo mhlangano omkhulukazi obuwaziwa ngokuthi yiThe 2nd Higher Education Transformation Summit. Yize kukuningi okuhle obekudingidwa emhlanganweni obuseThekwini okwenzeke eWits nakwezinye izikhungo sekuyikho okugqamile. Ephawula ngalokhu okwenzakayo uMhlonishwa uNzimande uthe kungakuhle ukuba zonke izinhlangothi zithole isixazululo. Wakuchitha nokuthi lesi simo sesiyinhlekelele: “Yebo ngiyakuvuma ukuthi lokhu kuyinselele, kepha ngeke ngithi yinhlekelele ngoba sinayo indlela yokuba sikuxoxe.” kusho uNzimande. Emuva kokuphimisa lawa magama ube eseba nomhlangano nezinhlaka ezithintekayo nalapho kuphume khona isiphakamiso sokuthi amanani awakhuphuke angadluli emaphesentini ayisithupha nokuyinto abafundi abathe kabayivumi ngoba bona bami kwelemfundo yamahhala.
Inoni kosopolitiki
Akukho ukungabaza ukuthi lolu daba lusazojiya nokuthi ukuze kube nesixazululo kuyomele zonke izinhlangothi zamukele ukuthi kumele ziluxoxe udaba. NjengaseGermany lolu daba lusazonabela emphakathini wonke jikelele futhi lubuye lube yinoni kosopolitiki. Umholi weDemocratic Alliance, uMhlonishwa uMusi Maimane uthe konke okwenzakayo kumele kusolwe uNzimande. Esitatimendeni lithe: “Iqiniso elinqunu uhulumeni we-ANC kawuyikhiphi imali eyanele ukuxhasa abafundi. Yize uNgqogqoshe uNzimande ekwazi kamhlophe ukuntuleka kwezimali, akenze lutho ukungenelela kulolu daba. Ngonyaka owedlule uNgqogqoshe wajuba iKomiti elathula ngoNhlolanja umbiko owaziwa ngokuthi yiMinisterial Committee for the Review of Funding of Universities, nowakuveza ngokusobala ukuthi izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme kuleli kazixhaswa ngokwanele,” kuphetha isitatimende seDA. Le nhlangano ephikisayo kayigcinanga lapho kepha ibe isiba nombhikisho obuya emahhovisini oMnyango WezeMfundo EPhakeme nayilapho bebethi uNzimande kahoxe emsebenzini.
Ngako lunye uhlangothi uMengameli weAfrican National Congress Youth League, uMnu uCollen Maine ucashunwe kwabezindaba ethi: “Uma ngabe uNgqogqoshe unendaba ngabe ungenelele kulolu daba lusaqala nje eWits ngoba bekusobala ukuthi bekuseyisiqalo kokukhulu okuzayo. Sifisa ukubona ukuthi ngabe angalilungisa yini lolu daba. Uma engeke akwazi kumele asho njalo kuMengameli wezwe nokuyomele angenelele ngokuqasha umuntu ongenza loyo msebenzi.” Inkulumo kaMengameli kaVukayibambe iveze isithombe sokuthi kukhona ukungaboni ngaso linye ku-ANC neSACP nokucacayo ukuthi lesi simo kubo ngeke sibe ngezimali ezikhokhwayo kepha sekuyoba yimpi yamazwi efuqwa yipolitiki yangaphakathi nokungaba yinto embi ngoba esikubone kuleli sonto lapho abafundi ezweni lonke besho ngazwi linye ukuthi “sekuyisikhathi” kuzichaze khona ukuthi lo mzabalazo wabafundi wokulwela imfundo yamahhala ungaphezu kweqembu elithize kepha ngowabo bonke abaseNingizimu Afrika.
Sekungaphinde kube wubuwula ukuphetha ngokucabanga ukuthi lo mutsha olingene iNingizimu Afrika. Empeleni lena yinkinga yomhlaba wonke kwehluka nje ekuthini uhulumeni loyo othintekayo ulibuka kanjani. Isibonelo nje eMelika izindleko zokufunda zikhuphuke ngamaphesenti angama-500 kusuka ngowe-1985 kanti labo ababolekela ukwenza iqhuzu lokuqala bathwesa iziqu ngowezi2012 bakweleta imali engangezi-$29,400. AmaMelika ayizigidi ezingama-40 asakhokhela isikweletu sabafundi esingusigidintathu esingu-$1.2 ($1.2 trillion). USosigele waseMelika u-Elizabeth Warren, ookhankasela ukwehliswa kwemali yokufunda, uthi lokhu umthwalo ovimbela unqinde intsha ekubeni ibe namakhaya, izimoto nokuqala amabhizinisi. Kanti isibonelelo esikhona sikahulumeni sisetshenziswa ngokufanele lapho intela yale mali itholwa izicebi ezingamaphesenti angama-20.
Inkinga yezikweletu zabafundi e-UK ingaba yimbi kunaleyo yaseMelika. UHulumeni kaTory wethule imali yokufunda ngowezi-2012 eyizi-£9,000 (R136 000) ngonyaka isikweletu somfundi ngamunye sibalelwa ezi-£44,000 (R810 000). Lolu hlelo lokukhokhisa luzivula inxeba njengoba imali eyisikweletu eningi ingeke ikhokhwe. Isikhungo i-UK’s Institute for Fiscal Studies iveza ukuthi amaphesenti angama-73 abafundi abakhona manje ngeke bakwazi ukukhokha okuzobathatha iminyaka engama-30 ngaphambi kokusulwa kwesikweletu kanti lapho bobe sebeneminyaka egijima kwengama-50 ubudala.
Uma uqhathanisa lezi zibalo kuyacaca ukuthi impela limi ngothi.
UMPHEPHETHWA udukisiwe wanindwa ngodaka emehlweni ngabaphathi bamanyuvesi. Akafune iqiniso ngokwenzeka emanyuvesi akuleli ngale kwalokho wothathwa njengesehluleki.
Leli lizwe alikhululwanga zifundiswa nabantu abadala kodwa zingane.
Asibheke ukuhlupheka okugomothele izifundiswa, lezi eziyikazela ngamajazi, ezibizwa ngamagama amakhulu, ikakhulukazi ezisemanyuvesi neziqeqesha abafundi, ezikwelikhulu itilongo namakhamandela encindezelo nokwesatshiswa. Ngenxa yokuthi noMnyango kaNgqongqoshe ubukeka ulahlekelwa umkhondo kubukeka usizo nokutakulwa kwazo kungekho masinya cishe zotakulwa yizingane njengoba kwenzeka ngowe-1976.
Buqamama kubukeka kungathi kuhamba kahle konke ezikhungweni lezi nakuleli zinga. Sondela eduze, maye! Bakuxoxela usizi lwabo ungafisi lutho. Abangaphakathi kulezi zikhungo kungaba abafundi, abafundisi noma abalekeleli babecabanga ukuthi babezokhululeka ngokungena kohulumeni wentando yeningi kanti phinde kwakushitshwa ujokhi ihhashi kuseyilo. Icala ngeke salibeka koMengameli ngoba uma beqoka oNgqongqoshe baqoka abathile abasuke becabanga ukuthi basazi kangcono nangokugcwele isimo samanyuvesi ngoba bethi bake bafundisa kulezi zikhungo kanti oNgqongqoshe labo bazohluleka ukuyifunda ivaliwe nokufunisisa iqiniso nezingxabo zalo.
Nakhu okwenzeka ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme, ngiyethemba nalaba abadusa uNgqongoshe bazokwembuleka, labo ngamaqili alawula esithi abaphathi manyuvesi leli qeqebane laziwa ngokuthi, yizisebenzi ezimele ubandlululo lwakudala abangongqondongqondo bembumbabulungu (former apatheid deployee boerebond and masterminds).
Kukhona umehluko phakathi kokuphatha nokubusa. Abaphathi bamanyuvesi baphethe kodwa iqeqebana labamhlophe olwatshalwa ubandlululo ukucekela umuntu omnyama liyabusa futhi yilo okukhala isicathulo salo emkhakheni wemfundo ephakeme. Leli qeqebana liyinkambaphansi liqhumuza isidana imali kahulumeni wentando yeningi efakwa emanyuvesi. Lisebenzisa abathile abangosolwazi obabuka ubathembe kanti zichuse nezimaku zala maqili ayizikhonkwane zobandlululo ezicindezela isizwe esimnyama. Luqhoqhobele izintambo luphethe izinhlaka ezibucayi zaleso naleso sikhungo esiphakeme. Lithatha izinqumo ezinqala nolushoyo ukuthi ubani okumele ahlale kunoma yiluphi uhlaka. Umsebenzi waleli qeqebana ukuphikisana nokumisa nse izinguquko ezihlongozwa uhulumeni nomphakathi. Libeka umgomo okumele ulawule uhlaka lokusingatha abasebenzi, abafundi, ubani okumele aqashwe, adilizwe, anyuselwe esikhundleni, amukelwe esikhungweni, aphase njengomfundi, asizwe noma ancishwe imali nokuthile. Alungeni leli qeqebana ngokuphelele emaklasini kodwa yilo olushoyo ukuthi obani okumele benzeni, futhi benziwe njani. Yilo leli qeqebana elibeka ogqayinyanga (gatekeepers) nezinhloko zeminyango ngaphakathi futhi yilo eligagula nemihlomulo yalezo zinhloko. Uma ewuthobela umthetho liyamenyusa asondele phezulu. Lingagcina limphathise inyuvesi isikhungo, hhayi ngoba ekulungele lokho kodwa lisuka libona ukuthi angaba simaku esihle, nehawu elingcono elingaba umbhobho wokwedusa kangcono uNgqongqoshe ngokwenzeka ngaphakathi esikhungweni lowo ophethe ebe ependa isithombe esingesiso ngokwenzeka emanyuvesi akuleli.
UNgqongqoshe uke wayibuza le mibuzo elandelayo: Kungani kube nengcosana yosolwazi abamnyama? Yini abafundi bangathandi ukuba yizifundiswa (academics)?
Nazi izimpendulo: iqeqebana labamhlophe elashiywa wubandlululo emanyuvesi labe lingafundile kodwa liqhoqhobaliswe iminyango ebucayi; yezimali, yokubhaliswa kwabafundi, yezokuhlolwa, undabazabantu, ukuqashelwa kwamarekhodi, ukuhlaliswa kwabafundi, ezokuphepha, ezemidlalo, izakhiwo nokwakha. Kusaphethe uhulumeni wobandlululo babebizwa ngokuthi yinon-academic staff muva libe seliguqulwa leli qeqebana selaziwa ngokuthi yisupport staff.
Bazokhumbula kungena uhulumeni wentandoyeningi leli qeqebana lalisezikhundleni kepha lingenazicucu kodwa libusa inyuvesi lihola izimali ezishisiwe. Lalinikezwe izikhundla ezinkulu zobuqondisi nezobumenenja. Ngaleso sikhathi lawo mabhunu ayenezithunywa ezazingenazo izicucu kodwa ‘kungothatha la beka la’. La mabhunu athi uma esempesha akuqinisekisa ukuthi lezo zithunywa azishiya zingabaqondisi uma kungenjalo abekuqinisekisa ukuthi athola abanye bakubo noma izingane zabo noma omabhalane babo ukungena kulezo zikhundla.
Namuhla amanyuvesi aqhoqhobalwe amaklakhi, omabhalane nabantu abangena emanyuvesi ‘bengothatha la beka la’. Asezinhloko, awanazimpepha zemfundo ahola izizumbulu zemali phezu kosolwazi nakhu badla ifa abalishiyelwa ngoyise ababebekwe ubandlululo. Abafundisi kwabe kungabamnyama behola befukuzela isizwe. Esitelingini wukhondathi la ezikhungweni. Intsha iyakubona lokhu ayinasizungu sokuba ngama-academics.
Omunye uzothi kwenzeka kanjani lokhu ngoba ngosolwazi abaphethe emanyuvesi. Ayikhulunywa, labo solwazi abangabaphathi sekwaphela ngabo. Bathi bengeqela ngakho kodwa kwasupport bagwinywa unoxhaka wobugovu lobu obabuhlasele amabhunu. Inkohlakalo yabelungu yayisidida. Yayigunyaziwe umthetho. Laba esithi osolwazi abaphethe amanyuvesi bavele bakhohlwa ozakwabo ababashiya becwile osizini. Bathi befika ezikhundleni babingelelwe amagosa aleli qeqebana elizikhonkwana ezatshalwa wubandlululo abalifice laphaya. Lifike limbingelele oseqokwe ukuba umphathi wenyuvesi bebeke uhla lwezinzuzo nemihlomulo okuhambisana nalesi sikhundla asekuso; indlu yamahhala, igilosa, impahla yokugqoka necredit card engenamkhawulo nokunye avele bandla azimukelwe ikhanda usolwazi bese limgqolozele emehlweni lithi vula umqondo uyeke ukukhuluma into yobu-academic namathiyori. Kusho ovela emkhandlwinijikelele ophethe isikhungo nomzwele ukuthi angene emafutheni. Nesifundiswa sansondo esesinikezwe isihlalo sithi ngobe ngiphanjanelwe lidlozi uma ngike ngayeka lo mbuso; sisho sibuqonda kahle ubuphofu esivela kubo singabucabangi ukuba sike sibuyele kubo. Wo! Suka naye athi ngobe ngifulathelwe elakithi ngobe esiphindiwe uma ngike ngaphikisana naleli qeqebana. Lobe selikhuluma ulimi lunye naleli qeqebane. Liqale lizingele abavusa umhlwenga, libe lihawu lawo onke amahlazo enziwa yileli qeqebana ngaphakathi esikhungweni. Isifundiswa sobe sesisho kungqongqoshe ukuthi zonke izinto zihamba ngothi lwazo. Kothi noma othisha nabafundi bepaquza kuthiwa anisiyeke ngalabo, bayagula bayahlanya, hlohla imali Ngqongqoshe.
Kothi uma izingane zikhononda zingalalelwa, zibizelwa amaphoyisa, ayibuziwe neSenate, yiSupport yodwa qwaba eshaya amaphiko, othisha bayozwa ngosizwile ngezinqumo. Lapho izinhloko zakwasupport sezibafunisa kwembuzi yomsebenzi, kunukwa abafundisi abathile, abasikaza umbuso wakwasupport ngejozi. Kubuzakale ukuthi obani obhongoza nabaphehli ludweshu. Phela ophethe isikhungo usekhuluma ulimi lweqeqebana lwezikhonkwane zobandlululo ezilaphaya. Abafundi boze bezwakale kahle uma sebecekela impahla yesikhungo.
Abafundi nabalandeli bomlando wezinguquko bazongifakazela ukuthi abantu abathatheka ngokuthi abanalutho kuba yibona abazidelayo bancamele ukusifela isimo abangasithandi, nakhu abanavalo lokulahlekelwa wutho, labo ke abafundi. Abafundi abanavalo lokusatshiswa ngabakufunayo. Abafundi noma benazo izikweletu kodwa banehawu lokuthi bayafunda noma bengalahlekelwa abanakho kuvele kuzwakale ukuthi awu bandla wayenemoto yalahleka, yadliwa esehluleka ukuyikhokhela nakhu wabe eqhuba izifundo. Lezi zinto ezithatheka ngokuthi zikweletu yizona kanye ezenza abangekho kulesi sigaba besabe ukulahlekelwa yizo beyibambe ishisa noma besibona isimo singahambi kahle ezweni. Umfundi akumbambi ukuthi aveze akhala ngakho njengoba sibona futhi bengagcina beliguqisile izwe uma iziphathimandla nabasemagunyeni bezishaya abangukuzwa okufunwa abafundi. Abafundi baqhamuka emkhakheni othatheka njengokhululekile. Imvamisa yiwo lo mhlathi oletha izinguquko ezibonakalayo emazweni ngamazwe nasemhlabeni jikelele.
Nakuleli siwubona lo mkhakha uveza izinto abangathandi abadala nabasemagunyeni zixoxwe kodwa zibe zilutwayi esizweni. Hhayi abazenzi abadala sebeficwe isimo sokuthatha ngobudala. Bafikelwe isikhathi esafikela abadala bangowe-1976, ababesaba abelungu. Sifikile isikhathi sokufezekisa izinqumo zasePolokwane noMqulu Wenkululeko oyinkombandlela yenkululeko wemfundo yamahhala. Akekho ongabuboni ukungalingani okukhona kwezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme okukhona. Kusenakho ukucwaseka ngokwezikhungo ezabe zingezabamhlophe nezabamnyama kunokuba kubhekwane nalokho abadala babika imbiba babika ibuzi, izingane zizoyibamba ngesidlozana. Udaba akusiyo imali kodwa ukugqoza kwezinguquko zedemocracy ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme.
Iminyango engabe ifukula leli ngamakhono, ontamolukhuni abamhlophe abazinhloko selokhu kwathi nhlo abagweve eminyangweni yamakhono adingekile nafunwa izwe uma kungenjalo kuncanyelwa ukuthi kutholakale ovela kwelinye izwe naye ozoncikiselwa yibo abamhlophe. Isibalo okumele sithathwe siphinde sifeyile nesizophasa saziwa kungakaqali ukufunda. Minyaka yonke lapha ezikhungweni zemfundo kwasayensi kuthiwa sekugcwele kungakafikwa nakuhhafu wesibalo ebesibekiwe ziphindiselwe emakhaya izingane kuthiwa sekobonakala ngonyaka ozayo. Uhhafu wezinhloko zemikhakha abasibo abakuleli, abampisholo osolwazi nabesifazane nabo kumi kanjalo, uhhafu wabahlomula ngeziqu eziphakeme minyaka yonke akusibo abakuleli. Abakwethu baphasa ngamaphesenti angama-50 uma sebefike ebangeni lesithathu noma lesine.
Kusekhona ukuhola ngokungalingani kwabasebenzi bakula manyuvesi, usolwazi nomfundisi wasemanyuvesi abaziwa ngokuthi awabamnyama abaholi ngokufana nowalawa ayaziwa ngokuthi awabamhlophe.
Umbuzo kubambe kuphi kuMhlonishwa uNzimande ukuthi awuhlanganise lo mnyango abasebenzi bevele fastela linye njengowamazinga aphansi. Asikuvume ukuthi uMnyango kaMhlonishwa uNzimande udedele amatomu kwathi la besinethemba ngokuthi uzongenelela wangakwenza lokho. Umonakalo uqhubeke yonke le minyaka. Cishe, ontamolukhuni ababefihlwe wubandlululo yibona abaseyizinhloko neziphathimandla noma kungaba ompisholo ophethe kodwa abamzungezile ontamolukhuni. Emkhandlwini wezigele kuhlala osolwazi okuyibo abamhlophe bame nezikhiye zokugunyaza ukuthi ubani okumele anikezwe ubusolwazi. Abanikwayo abangani babo abazincelebane zabo. Bakubambe ngokugixabeza ngomhlomulo lo esithi simethembile uphethe. Uma izingane zithi nabasebenzi bethi hhayi bo lokhu nalokhu kakuhambi kahle, uzwa ethi usazoxoxisana nabaphathi laba abangekho kustatute. Ogunyaziwe iqeqebana elizikhonkwane zobandlululo naye alifice laphaya limgqolozele limbhekile naye lo ophethe uma eseqala ukukhuphula umhlwenga zihlangana zimphose ngaphandle. Ukungcola kukhulu okusemanyuvesi futhi ngendlela okujule ngayo ziwudla ebhekile uhulumeni noMphephethwa.
- Ngu Dkt uMbuli