Students close down Rhodes University

schumi

schumi

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A group of about 100 students, some armed with sticks, even turned away people wanting to work out at the Rhodes gym early this morning.

Academic and other activities were suspended at Rhodes University today after hundreds of protesting students blocked every entry road and entrance to the university from the crack of dawn.

Students are protesting minimum initial fee payments (MIP), fee increases and generally high university fees.
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More at http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/students-close-down-rhodes-unviersity/
 
Why not arrest every last one of them, exclude from the university, and then charge them with assault and intimidation?

Find another way to protest that isn't barbaric.
 
Student protests hit Rhodes University

Grahamstown - Rhodes University has suspended classes as students started protesting against fee hikes, according to reports on Monday.

The Daily Dispatch reported that a group of about 100 students, some armed with sticks, turned people away from the Eastern Cape campus on Monday morning.

eNCA reported that students had barricaded entrances with burning tyres.

"Students are protesting about the minimum initial payment, which means students are required to pay 50% of the fees. This means if students live in res, they will be required to pay up to R45 000," Rhodes SRC president Zikisa Maqubela told the broadcaster.

"We cannot pay so much, we just don't have the money."

Vice-chancellor Sizwe Mabizela said it had been decided to suspend all academic activities planned for Monday, the Daily Dispatch reported.

On social networking site Facebook, a message was doing the rounds threatening a total shut-down of the campus.

But not all students were supportive, with some complaining that they needed to focus on exams happening in two weeks. One woman said her bedroom window was broken by protesters during the night.

The protests came after Wits University in Johannesburg this weekend suspended an increase in fees pending the outcome of negotiations, after being hit by protests that halted academic work, reported News24.

Also on Monday morning, entrances were barricaded to the University of Cape Town with rocks, benches and dustbins.

News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Student-protests-hit-Rhodes-University-20151019
 
Ancalagon said:
Why not arrest every last one of them, exclude from the university, and then charge them with assault and intimidation?

Find another way to protest that isn't barbaric.
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Its so sad.

They need to start taking action, our universities are not a springboard for their political rubbish. They are places of education.
 
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powermzii said:
While these are all probably valid, exam fees ARE prohibitively expensive. Something needs to be done but in a constructive manner that doesn't impede other's access to class
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I dont know, everything go up in the country if its inflation or not.
Some companies up their premiums up on 10% year on year.

The lecturers and the university needs increases and be maintained.

It has been like this from inception if you cant afford to go study further then ..... you just cant it as simple as that.
Either you get a study loan or you go work and save up for your studies.
That is unfortunately the real truth about it.

Did these students think they will pay the same amount for the next ten years?
It is not sustainable in that way.

Like anybody else in the world you expect a increase every year, but to get this increase the company either have to get more business or cut some where or increase their prices.

The university is already at its optimal on students, so they cant get more business and they cant cut anywhere so what is the next logical option, Increase prices.
 
powermzii said:
While these are all probably valid, exam fees ARE prohibitively expensive. Something needs to be done but in a constructive manner that doesn't impede other's access to class
Click to expand...

I know all too well about expensive exam fees having to work+study at the same time to pay for my own R100k student loan...
And that was back in 2008.

Definitely agree though that something must be done about it and that there are better ways of doing it.
 
Acid0 said:
I dont know, everything go up in the country if its inflation or not.
Some companies up their premiums up on 10% year on year.

The lecturers and the university needs increases and be maintained.

It has been like this from inception if you cant afford to go study further then ..... you just cant it as simple as that.
Either you get a study loan or you go work and save up for your studies.
That is unfortunately the real truth about it.

Did these students think they will pay the same amount for the next ten years?
It is not sustainable in that way.

Like anybody else in the world you expect a increase every year, but to get this increase the company either have to get more business or cut some where or increase their prices.

The university is already at its optimal on students, so they cant get more business and they cant cut anywhere so what is the next logical option, Increase prices.
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Am by no means advocating 10yr static fees, yes things go up but the % increase is more than inflation. And it is already starting at a higher level. Not too sure how the student loans work because i was never eligible - not sure if there are enough? Also not sure how many of those taken out are actually paid back. So there are a number of factors to consider. I am well aware that the current fees would be a stretch for any person - working or otherwise.
 
Rhodes VC meets with protesters

Jeff Wicks, News24

Durban - Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor Sizwe Mabizela is to meet with striking students after the institution's academic programme was suspended on Monday.

University spokesperson Catherine Deiner said on Monday morning Mabizela was “already on his way” to engage with the group, which is believed to be protesting over the “minimum initial payment” - a 50% lump sum of their total tuition.

For a new student staying in residence, the minimum initial payment would be at least R41 000.

The Daily Dispatch reported that a group of about 100 students, some armed with sticks, turned people away from the Eastern Cape campus on Monday morning.

eNCA reported that students had barricaded entrances with burning tyres.

Deiner added that Mabizela would also address the entire student body with a public statement at 11:00.

“This has just been announced to all the students and the VC will be giving an update then on what is going on. That is all we can say at this point,” she said.

On social networking site Facebook, a message was doing the rounds threatening a total shut-down of the campus.

But not all students were supportive, with some complaining that they needed to focus on exams happening in two weeks. One woman said her bedroom window was broken by protesters during the night.

The protests came after Wits University in Johannesburg this weekend suspended an increase in fees pending the outcome of negotiations, after being hit by protests that halted academic work, reported News24.

Also on Monday morning, entrances were barricaded to the University of Cape Town with rocks, benches and dustbins.

The Stellenbosch University SRC said in a statement last week they will protest on Wednesday to oppose the proposed 11.5% fee increase at the institution.

News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Rhodes-VC-meets-with-protesters-20151019
 
powermzii said:
Am by no means advocating 10yr static fees, yes things go up but the % increase is more than inflation. And it is already starting at a higher level. Not too sure how the student loans work because i was never eligible - not sure if there are enough? Also not sure how many of those taken out are actually paid back. So there are a number of factors to consider. I am well aware that the current fees would be a stretch for any person - working or otherwise.
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True inflation calculated by the banks is around 15%, governments fudged figure is 6. The university knows there own expenses. If they are putting their fees up 10% it means that they need 10% more money. They are a non-profit organisation.
Yes, fees are high, but it is not the fault of the universities themselves. No lecturer or professor is going to stay if they get a raise of 6% per year, if you are educated and qualified you can go lecture overseas and be paid more higher rather than having your life slowly degrade in SA. The universities need to pay well or they will lose the staff and education will crumble. The only solution is more funding from government. These idiots protesting are too stupid to realise this and don't deserve an education too be honest.
A person who blames the universities for the price hike is too intellectually impaired to belong at a university. Sad, but true.
 
Anyone thought to contact Blade and ask him to stop reducing the education budget for universities?
 
Terrorists. They are not there to study. Probably failing their "degrees" as they got there by luck and prejudice not because of their academic achievements.
 
Seriously said:
Terrorists. They are not there to study. Probably failing their "degrees" as they got there by luck and prejudice not because of their academic achievements.
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A bit disingenuous but I'll take it as sarcasm.

While there are elements that are failing - the fees issue is real. Then there are those who are passing but can't afford to pay for next year. So to paint them all with the same brush ignores the real issue
 
"We cannot pay so much, we just don't have the money."
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Yeah, neither did I. You know what I did? NOT go to university.

A seemingly justifiable way of staving off becoming an adult.. that's all Uni really ends up being for half the people that go.
 
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