Nzimande disturbed by ‘racism' at universities

CAPE TOWN (Sapa) - The extent of racism and other discrimination in higher education institutions revealed in a ministerial committee report (see here) is deeply disturbing, Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande said on Wednesday.

Briefing the media on the report of the ministerial committee on transformation and social cohesion and the elimination of discrimination in public higher education institutions, Nzimande said he had considered and accepted the report and its major findings.

Most important, was to establish a monitoring and oversight body to complement the work of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and to deal with the challenges of transformation identified by the committee as needing attention.

This oversight body would be based in the higher education and training department, and details regarding its composition, structure, and brief would be released in due course.

"We regard this as a priority issue," Nzimande said.

The report had highlighted a number of instances revealing the extent of still existing discrimination.

"While the report commends institutions for initiatives on change, the report unfortunately states that discrimination, in particular with regard to racism and sexism, is still pervasive in our institutions."

It noted there was a disjuncture between institutional policies and the real-life experiences of staff and students, indicating that the good intentions of institutions were not fully experienced.

The committee found that the system largely had in place a comprehensive range of policies dealing with transformation-related issues.

This was especially so with respect to the requirements of employment equity.

The committee came to the conclusion that, in legal and regulatory terms, the higher education system was compliant.

In addition, it noted there were aspects of the system requiring attention.

"There is no doubt that significant policy development has indeed occurred towards transformation; the next important step is making those policies work," Nzimande said.

He had written to the chairs of councils reminding them of their fiduciary responsibility to their institutions and the higher education system and urging them to consider and respond to the report.

Councils and vice-chancellors had been urged to consider establishing institution-wide mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the state of transformation on their campuses.

In addition, the report had been referred to the CHE for advice on what additional measures could be considered to deepen transformation and social cohesion in the institutions and system.

Nzimande said he would soon be meeting with Higher Education South Africa (HESA) and would ask them to consider a number of issues.

These included developing a transformation compact between institutions and the department.

"We can't leave these matters to chance," he said.

They should also consider that vice-chancellors be held responsible for transformation and this be included in performance management contracts.

There was also a need for institutions to consider the extent to which the curriculum had been transformed to play a role in the socialisation of students in accordance with the values of the Constitution and for broader participation in society.

Proposals regarding student learning needs and establishing a four-year undergraduate degree had for sent to the CHE for advice, as had proposals on implementing the language policy, Nzimande said.

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quotas and quality stop focusing on quotas already and rather worry about getting qulity education to the masses......then come back and worry about your quotas by onlooker on June 10 2009, 20:58 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

racism How would the ANC survive without racism? It's their mealticket, and a wonderful scapegoat for their many failures. They are the biggest racists on the block, and their hypocracy is disgusting! Requiring a white to have 91% to get into medical . .more school and a black 74% is NOT racism, according to these dishonest racist hypocirtes. . .less by mpho on June 11 2009, 08:38 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Bla, blahhhh Same old Blade with his old outdated/ past by due date Stalinist jargon! Grow up Blade, and please cancel they debit order on Cosatu workers pay to subsidize your lavish lifestyle . You now have the whole country to subsidize you.... All animals . .more are equal, some like you and your cronies are more equal! Viva . .less by Comrade Napoleon on June 11 2009, 09:08 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

If it is racism that concerns you then start with applications and grants - make these decisions based on talent and marks only and not skin colour. The problem with the ANC is that they want to complain about racism whilst at the same time putting it into practise in their own . .more policies. This hypocrisy has to stop. . .less by Sad Days on June 11 2009, 10:24 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Racsim,colour,hypocrisy etc. Whatever anyone wants to call it.Just think back to 1985..........,I could hardly work freely just here at the East London beach front.I could hardly cross the border to EL/Queenstown from the Transkei.Some of our people have not even begun to tap into . .more this so-called "freedom" simply because thier fore fathers were deprived of many opportunites.My grandmother never went to school.Do y'all think she didnt want to.Take a look at Soweto,Mdantsane and all the dumping areas through out the country.Dont come here and shout RACISM! . .less by Blaque Pride on June 11 2009, 11:40 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

step in soonest in' the north west university, there is a clear intention to frustrate the tenets of transformation. oftentimes the beneficiaries of transformation reckon themselves more deserving such that they detest transformation. they therefore, support the efforts . .more to block tranformation where they are. either they strongly belleve setlhare sa motswana ke lekgowa, or their inferiority complex obliges them to want to please their masters, or they they value the "Amadingo complex" which obtains the 'first and the only among them'. worse the resource distribution is so skewed, it is like the institution is ready for "DEMERGER" . .less by it is bad on June 11 2009, 12:18 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Believing What is funny about this report is that the members of the ministerial committee believed every word they were told by the complainers. I wonder why? by Edubof on June 11 2009, 16:49 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Thieves and Vandals. And since 1985 Blaque Pride, you have descended on the places the Boers founded and colonised them. You did not even create these places, but now you conquered and own them. Not only that, you are stealing the Boer's few institutions. . .more And then you come to preach here about 1985? Jealousy remains an ugly emotion. The Boers, on the other hand, did not steal Wits and UCT etc from the Anglos. Instead, they built their own. You could have followed the example, don't you think, rather than just moving into someone else's property and occupying it? Along these lines, do you think it would have been proper if Anglophones in Canada simply occupy French language institutions, rather than building their own? And what would you have thought of the Anglos, if they just colonised the French language university in Montreal (rather than building McGill?). That they are thieves? The ANC, it turns out, is a collection of Vandals and thieves. All they were out to get, was other people's stuff. . .less by JVR on June 11 2009, 22:41 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Not the sharpest knife in the draw I am disturbed by the African National Cons racist policies, namely BEE, affirmitive action and quotas. by Blunt Blade on June 11 2009, 23:39 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Blaque Pride If you stop a little and think: 1 What happen to all the money that the white goverment gave your leaders. 2 Why did they not use the money to build a univercity.I did not have the privelage to go to a univercity.Because my people also . .more did not have money. 3 Who build your hospitals and schools that your people choose to destroy. 4 Blame your stupid and greedy leaders.Stop blaming the whites,for taking care of there own people.If your bad and greedy leaders did not take care of you,blame them. . .less by Alkie on June 13 2009, 09:48 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Mnr Nzimande You and your people are the biggest raccist.Not the few white people that is left in this country. With your policies you are actually telling all the black people in this country you are inferior to the white people. by Alkie on June 13 2009, 10:00 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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