I have been following with interest the revolutionary students in South Africa in their campaigned famously called the #FeesMustFall campaign. What the South African students are doing is really commendable and should be applauded. The proposed fees hike is beyond the reach of many and the students have to be commended for standing up for their human rights. Every child has a right to education and that right must be protected at all costs. These days this right is under threat and many brilliant students cannot proceed with school for lack of finances. I once learnt at a South African school and i do understand how expensive the fees can be in that country. Most people as it stands cannot even afford tuition fees and to propose a fees hike to me is a violation of the right to education. The South African government is thus putting all students at a disadvantage. Most parents cannot afford to pay these outrageous amounts given the measly wages they earn. I salute the South African students for standing up for their rights. I salute the South African students for protecting their rights to educations. Indeed fees must fall and they will fall. The students have shown that they are strong and united and this is something to be admired. Citizens of South Africa have also shown their unity as celebrities, campus control, various leaders and the community as a whole have shown their support for these students. The student uprising for justice is highly commendable and it has resulted in talks with President Jacob Zuma and student leaders today which is seeing many students march to the Union Building in a historic march. the movement has gathered momentum and is spreading throughout the country like the Ebola virus as my sister called it. My only regret is that i was not able to be in South Africa to show my support for my fellow students . Be that as it may support can be shown through social media like Twitter and I will not stop supporting them. Twitter is already seeing 300 tweets per minute of #feesmustfall and all students all over the world should show their support. These are students in anguish and fighting for their rights. I salute them.
I understand that these students are not just young people throwing tantrums but these are students addressing real issues on the ground. Imagine how a brilliant young students will feel when his or her parents tell him or her that they cannot afford fees and he cannot go to university. Obviously the chains of poverty will never be broken if this is allowed to happen. Fees must fall to afford everyone the same opportunities in life. This is wrong and I will continue supporting these students. Education is the only hope most people have of getting out of poverty and if they are not able to afford it , then the government might as well be sentencing people to a life of poverty, especially the Black majority of people who are cannot afford tuition. Black people are at a disadvantage as opposed to white people in South Africa because of the apartheid era which people are still recovering from.
Raising fees is as good as taking the black people to the apartheid era and this is contrary to what people like , Nelson Mandela fought for. Mandela must indeed be turning in his grave looking at the state South Africa is in now. It is truly sad and like the protesting students , I am anguished and am in pain.
I cannot help but think of my little sisters who learn and stay in South Africa this very moment. Are my parents going to be able to afford the tuition fees seeing that they are struggling to pay her high school fees at the moment? Will she be able to realize her dreams ? Will she be able to attend university at all? All these questions traumatize me and i thank the revolutionary students for standing up for their rights and for the rights of the future generations to come.
#FeesMustFall
The fees should fall and they will fall asap.
