1. Learning Institutions Shouldn't Be Responsible For Government's Wild Promises
Free education is a government policy choice, and it should not be landed on the tertiary institutions to manage or implement. The government must shoulder its responsibilities. The department of higher education had better step up beyond the vague comments of minister Mkhize to date, writes Prof. Graeme Bloch.
2. Ramaphosa, Here's The Real Reasons Why Land Reform Has Been An Epic Fail
The Garden of Eden: earthly utopia. A lush, bounteous, bucolic paradise, foreshadowing heaven. It is intrinsic to one of the great morality tales, and has much to teach us today, not least for a country whose people often pride themselves on their religiosity, provided we understand it properly. Read more.
3. In The Time Of Commissions: The Demand For Free, Quality And Decolonised Education
The days since President Jacob Zuma's announcement have felt long and been littered with more questions than answers about what it would really take to implement free, quality, decolonised education, write Shaeera Kalla and Shafee Verachia.
4. Habib To Political Leaders: Work With Us, Not Against Us
Freedom is when we build our own institutions to train our own scholars, and we make sure that we try [to] create access within the framework of what is possible. The call I want to make to all stakeholders is that they must work with us, and help us to do all of this, instead of trying to undermine us, the Wits vice-chancellor says in our transcribed interview with Adam Habib.
5. From One Poet To Another -- An Ode To Ntate Keorapetse Kgositsile
Ntate, I am scared the ANC made you tired -- broken promises and a never-returning Azania. My heart is idle and to this day my relationship with words is slippery, there is so much here. Thus if this is really the end, may my heartfelt, spirit-led, love-driven gratitude find you, writes Mawethu Nkosana Nkolomba.
6. Gazing Into The Political Crystal Ball For The Year 2018
If you are wondering what 2018 has in store for us in politics, help is at hand. Will it be the year in which South Africa's leaders will be able to go through the eye of the needle? Let's gaze together into the political crystal ball. Warning: Predictions not for the faint-hearted... but not to be taken to heart! Read more.
7. Afrikaans At UFS: Subjectivity And Fallacious Arguments On The Language Policy
Just before the end of 2017, and while South Africa almost came to a halt during the Christmas holidays, an extremely important ruling almost passed unnoticed. Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng delivered the majority ruling in Afriforum's leave to appeal in the case on the University of the Free State's language policy. The majority judgment regards Afrikaans subjectively as the main problem for access and quality in higher education. It is viewed as the language of domination and oppression and alienation and inaccessibility, writes By Theuns Eloff.