UCT academics hand over memorandum to Education officials

Placards being carried by the scholars read 'Private sector, why the silence. We need concrete solutions', 'Call a national consultation forum on education' and 'Stop passing the buck.'

This comes on the back of ongoing protests by students at various institutions over the recent fee recommendation by Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande.

UCT Vice Chancellor Max Price issued a statement earlier today calling on students, parents and staff to march to parliament.

Price wants Nzimande to deal with the systematic crisis in Higher education. 

Among the demands are demands for a policy of funding for higher education to be in place by the 2017/2018 budget speech.  

And an indication that if a judicial committee can't achieve that - a special task team is to be established to do so. 

That is the only concrete demand that makes up the memorandum and that has put them at odds with students representatives from the Fees Must Fall movement here who spoke saying there can't be a collaboration with academics until academics agree to call for free education. That hasn't been well received by academics at all.