Daily Maverick 168 weekly newspaper.
The “missing middle”. It’s a term that’s been thrown around since the #FeesMustFall revolution back in 2015 and refers to university students who are too “rich” to qualify for government subsidies, yet too poor to afford university fees.
According to Universities South Africa Office (USAf) CEO Professor Ahmed Bawa, a major problem in the higher education sector is the lack of a “national system” to address student funding for the missing middle. And with few safety nets in place, university fee hikes for 2021 could spell disaster for this vulnerable group.
Last year, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande proposed tuition and accommodation fee increases of 4.7% and 6.7% respectively, amid a shrinking economy and rising unemployment.