The controversial Higher Education Amendment Bill is one step closer to becoming law.Parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education and training on Wednesday adopted the bill that critics say will give the state sweeping powers over universities and colleges.The committee earlier this year hosted public hearings on the contentious bill amid fear that the proposed changes to laws governing tertiary institutions would put the autonomy of universities at risk.The bill proposes the minister have the power to determine transformation objectives and put appropriate mechanisms in place to ensure the objectives are met.It allows the minister to change processes‚ procedures and mandates of universities and other higher education institutions. It also empowers the minister to withhold funding under specific circumstances.Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Belinda Bozzoli‚ the party’s and higher education spokeswoman‚ said on Wednesday the DA would oppose the bill when it is considered by the National Assembly in two weeks’ time.“It gives too much power to the minister and in so doing threatens university autonomy‚” Prof Bozzoli said.She said the bill was ostensibly put forward simply to streamline and update the legislation covering universities‚ “but in fact it is replete with provisions expanding the powers of the minister of higher education and further eroding the already severely weakened principle of university autonomy”.“Universities soon will be unable to fulfil their obligations towards the Constitutional principle of academic freedom as the state intervenes relentlessly into their domain.”The bill would expand the minister’s powers to issue binding directives to universities and to put universities under administration‚ said Prof Bozzoli.“It will provide the minister with unprecedented powers to force universities to offer TVET courses‚ even if they are not equipped to do so‚” she said‚ referring to technical and vocational education and training.“In some clauses‚ the minister is simply given a blank cheque to intervene at will … the bill will not make a significant contribution towards solving the chronic problems in the university sector and to this end the DA cannot be party to the minister’s quest to increase his powers. The bill should be of concern to us all‚” she said.The Council on Higher Education‚ an independent statutory body responsible for advising the government on all higher education policy issues‚ threw its weight behind the bill‚ saying it sought to make institutions of higher learning more accountable.During the public hearings‚ the Higher Education Transformation Network also said it supported the bill. There was a need to regulate the financial accountability of higher learning institutions‚ it said.The bill would ensure compliance with state transformation policies and related legislation such as employment equity in the higher-education sector‚ it said. University councils and vice-chancellors had to be held accountable.- TMG Digital/BDLive..