While the Management Audit Bureau still has to do an audit of the financial management of the University of Mauritius, the minister of Education, Dharam Gokhool, made it clear last week in Parliament that the problem “has now been solved”. Thanks to more subsidies by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) this year, the university’s deficit has gone from Rs 49.2 million to Rs 23 million. The government had already made it clear that, despite the recommendations of the World Bank, university education would remain free for all. But the question is being raised in many other countries and some have already had to take unpopular decisions for universities to remain viable. Couldn’t it be the same in Mauritius?

In order to reduce the deficit, the university had to reduce its expenses while the TEC has agreed to grant Rs 264 million to the university instead of the initially planned Rs 241 million. But the university may not always be able to rely on subsidies and the WB proposal may have been worth discussing at least. In return, it suggested the introduction of study grants for all those who can’t afford to pay.

<B>Discontent & protests</B>

The United States – and more recently Great Britain – implemented such a system several years ago. In fact, many countries facing this issue have had to face discontent and even protests from students and some political leaders but they finally managed to implement it – mainly because there was no other solution for universities to become viable. “Even the most affluent societies with the most comprehensive welfare packages have had to introduce university tuition fees creating a storm (which has now calmed down) among the student population,” commented university lecturer, Roukaya Kasenally, recently.

The same debate is occurring in France at the moment. Mauritius remains one of the few countries where tertiary education is still free and the mere idea of changing this has indeed aroused much passion recently. But is there any other long-term solution?

A system where grants would be given to all students whose parents can’t afford the payment of tuition fees would make the system fairer. Those who can afford it would pay higher tuition fees while those who are not in a position to do so would not pay at all. “Several schemes have been tested and proven to work on campuses across the world and these have ranged from a targeted approach to subsidizing the tuition fees of the most needy and deserving students to that of government soft loans (at no interest) which get repaid once the student has graduated, is in a job and earning a regular salary,” further explains the university lecturer.

In fact, the payment of tuition fees may not only help the university get out of a difficult situation but it could also help it to reach a higher standard. This money could be used in developing new learning methodologies or investing in research for instance.

But it seems the government has already made up its mind on the issue. The declaration of minister Gokhool in Parliament that everything is fine tends to show that there is no question of starting a new debate on a controversial – and politically unpopular – issue.