*YCL Press Statement* * *
January 10, 2012 *YCL Statement on the UJ Stampede* * * The Young Communist League of South Africa [uFasimba] notes the regrettable death that occurred at the University of Johannesburg due to the failure of the University to be considerate in its actions. The University for the Second Year running could have made means to offset such expectation of large numbers of young people hungry for education. The University failed to put in place mechanism and structures like ablution facilities, accommodation and such for the large volumes of potential learners. We further condemn the inhumane ivory towers, Wits University and University of Pretoria which could have contributed to the situation but resolved to close off the doors of learning to the majority of working class students through their admission policies which serve only to exclude certain categories within our society. The reactionary policies of this institutions cannot be forever be hidden under institutional autonomy which serves only to slow down the progress of higher education transformation for the benefit of our people. We hereby support the call by the Minister of Higher Education that there’s an urgent need for one Central Applications Office the like of the one used by institution in Kwazulu Natal. This Central Applications Office will go a long way in removing the institutional policies of exclusion followed by most public institutions of higher education. It is the working class youth who are suffering from such policies and we will ensure as the Young Communist League with all progressive forces to ensure that the idea of one Central Admission Office becomes a reality in our country for the benefit of all as part of our struggle for free public quality education. We call on students to also consider Further Education and Training Institutions as another developmental tool at their exposal. This is largely to the fact that there is free education and better financial assistance availed to students. We also want to demystify the idea that FET colleges are inferior or are of lesser quality, despite their challenges they provide a skills base of South Africa and our country is in need of artisans and a majority of skills produced by these FET institutions. We further call on FET administrators to open their doors and welcome these large volumes to join the skills revolution and ensure that none leaves without admission due to issues such as finance. As part of our Joe Slovo Right to Learn Campaign, we further call on the Ministry of Higher Education and government as a whole to consider the building of more Higher education institutions closer to the people. An urgent need exists for such and it cannot be right that a learner in Mbombela is forced to go to Cape Town or Johannesburg to be able to study due to the lack of institutions. Our drive for development must be people oriented hence as the YCLSA we call for institutions closer to the people. Issued by YCL Head Office For more information contact: YCL Media Department Tel: 011 339 3621 -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
