Minister targets South Africa’s university governance woes

Higher education act amendments on the cards as government vows to curb mismanagement

Plans are afoot to address the problem of badly-run universities in South Africa, the higher education minister has said. Blade Nzimande outlined the plans during a virtual sitting of the National Assembly on 22 July to debate the Department of Higher Education and Training’s adjusted 2020/21 budget.

The plans include amending the higher education act to improve university governance. The DHET is also producing a revised language policy to strengthen African languages in higher education, which will be published soon, he added. The aim is to move away from the persistent, and disruptive trend of universities “continually being put under administration”, Nzimande said.