Free higher education: another self-destructive South African policy

This paper discusses the successes of, but also the criticisms against, the South African higher education system. While South Africa has the best higher education system in Africa, inefficiencies in the undergraduate system, participation, attrition and inequality are issues of concern. The author argues that the South African undergraduate system is a morally indefensible system and it contributes to inequality by having the highest private returns to higher education in the world. If allowed to continue, it will also undermine the best postgraduate system in Africa. The students are right, it has to change, but wrong that the solution is free higher education, because that will only lead to greater inefficiencies and greater inequality.

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