South Africans urged to make submissions to help determine feasibility of free education

Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training on Wednesday called on South Africans to make written submissions to help determine feasibility of free education in the country.

The committee calls on South Africans to make written submissions to the Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training, otherwise referred to as the Fees Commission, Committee Chairperson Yvonne Phosa said in Cape Town.

The Fees Commission was established by President Jacob Zuma following the "Fees Must Fall" protests in 2015. The commission is charged with determining the feasibility of free education in institutions of higher learning.

The commission is expected to finalize its work in September, after which a report will be submitted to Zuma within three months.

"This is a legislated process where the voices of people should be heard on what kind of higher education they want and what funding method is feasible. This is really about expanding and making higher education affordable to benefit all South Africans,"she said.

She said the committee believed this process would allow different voices to raise issues on free higher quality education in a coordinated, structured and reasonable manner.

Free education is a promise made by the ruling African National Congress. In its congress in 2007, the party made a resolution to have free education in seven years. The ANC has been criticized for failing to keep its promise.