South African Higher Education Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize said on Wednesday that free tertiary education will not be implemented immediately, but rather be part of a new system to be phased in over the next five years.
Mkhize was briefing the media on the registration process at tertiary institutions in the wake of the recent announcement by President Jacob Zuma that higher education would be free for the poor.
Mkhize said the phasing in of the new system would allow for treasury to formulate and implement a new budget plan.
She says Government wants to assure South Africans that all applicants in possession of a firm offer from a higher education institution will be assessed for funding based on the revised criteria announced last year by President Jacob Zuma.
Earlier, political parties warned of chaos when universities open following the announcement last month of free higher education for poor and working-class students who meet certain criteria.
Minister Mkhize said that the revised criteria announced by President Zuma will be used to assess all students for funding who are in possession of a firm offer from any university or TVET college.
