A proposed new policy by the department of higher education and training could change the fate of dilapidated and mismanaged agricultural colleges in Mzansi.
Higher education and training minister Blade Nzimande released the Draft Policy for the Recognition of South African Higher Education Institutional Types on 8 August this year. Among the changes it proposes, is that agri colleges be reclassified in terms of the Higher Education Act and then migrated from the national agriculture to the education department. The policy has generally garnered widespread support.
The chairperson of the South African Agricultural Graduate Association (SAAGA), Malose Mokgotho, says he welcomes the news, as this could result in agricultural colleges being revived. They currently resort under the national department of agriculture, land reform and rural development.
“I think the colleges will do much better under the department of higher education [and training] because the current system is not working. The skills of running a college, that the department will come with, is going to help revive the collapsing colleges of agriculture across the country,” he says.
According to Mokgotho, agricultural colleges are being treated as the “stepchild of the department” and therefore are not given priority when it comes to developing the next generation of agricultural experts.
“There is a lot of corruption, nepotism, mismanagement of funds and lack of focus in the management of the agricultural colleges,” he alleges, and adds that he now hopes for the needs of students to be taken to heart when a decision is eventually made.
Major benefits for students
The policy, says Mahlubi Mabizela, will offer several advantages. Mabizela is the higher education and training department’s chief director for policy and research support.
“Once [the policy] is endorsed and approved, colleges such as nursing and agricultural colleges, that meet the criteria which is still being drafted, will be regarded as university colleges under the department of higher education [and training].
“The benefits and advantage of this will be that those colleges will be able to register for higher undergraduate certificates. And, if they want, they can also register for research being done by their students in those colleges, which is not happening at the moment,” he explains.
Policy discussions are still in the early stages. According to Mabizela, there are still some legalities that need to be considered.
“[For instance,] if agricolleges fall under the Higher Education Act in terms of legislation, how do we balance oversight by the department of agriculture? They also have a legal standing over the colleges,” he says.
Public participation required
Meanwhile, Mamello Chobokoane-Motaung, a former student at Glen Agricultural College in the Free State and now treasurer of SAAGA, says the key to the success of the policy will be close collaboration between the two departments.
“The two departments should work together because the colleges have a specific focus, which I believe the department of agriculture can still offer. The challenge is that the administration of these colleges are incompetent and cannot run a college.
“The department of higher education could help the colleges’ administrative affairs to be much smoother for the benefit of the students,” she says.
Furthermore, should the policy be approved, students from agricultural colleges will also benefit from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). Currently, these students do not have access to NSFAS funding.
Chobokoane-Motaung says most of the students who attend these colleges are from disadvantaged communities, therefore NSFAS funding will be welcomed.
The policy is open for public commenting. According to Mabizela, members of the public and educational experts will also have the opportunity to table their views on the policy during a series of webinars scheduled for late August and early September.
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