AfriForum expressed great concern over the way in which the African National Congress (ANC) “increasingly subverts the principles of academic freedom”. According to Alana Bailey‚ deputy CEO of AfriForum‚ the acceptance and implementation of the Higher Education Amendment Bill‚ 2015‚ as tabled in Parliament last Friday‚ would put more control in the hands of the minister of higher education and training‚ which could result in the interference in all spheres of the functioning of tertiary institutions.“When universities are subjected to the government’s ideology and agenda‚ quality is the first victim. We are wrestling in South Africa with a tragic situation where 80% of the country’s schools are dysfunctional. This means that few young people are properly prepared for tertiary studies.“Those who do study after matric do it with great sacrifice. However‚ their expertise is necessary to help turn around the low economic growth rate and high levels of unemployment in South Africa. For this reason‚ quality education on tertiary level is non-negotiable – and that includes the protection of the autonomy and academic freedom of universities.”Bailey said that the Minister of Higher Education and Training‚ Mr Blade Nzimande‚ had interfered in university management on several occasions in the past and "made many a remark that caused grave concern about government’s commitment to academic freedom".“The proposed bill creates another question mark in this regard.”She said that should government be serious about the future of quality tertiary education‚ it should withdraw the bill and rather concentrate on the proper funding of institutions and stop “absolutising” the campaigns of outsiders and outsider organisations against academic processes such as examination (among other)‚ as well as statues and language policies.“There is space on the campus of a successful institution for different ideas and healthy debating. There is respect for all communities‚ as well as internationally accepted human rights such as mother tongue education. Students who do not feel at home should feel comfortable in raising their opinions‚ but should also be accommodating towards the opinions of others.“When a community’s hero or language needs make another feel unwelcome‚ it actually creates an opportunity for discussions and finding a solution that accommodates everyone – not for biased actions that simply transfer the discomfort of one community onto another as some kind of retribution‚ as is currently the case‚” Bailey said.“Should the minister obtain more power in this regard‚ debating will be smothered in favour of submission to government‚ which will mean the end of democracy.“AfriForum therefore takes a stand against this bill and requests government to withdraw it‚” she said.Bailey said that‚ if this was not done‚ AfriForum would obtain a legal opinion about the constitutionality of the bill and would plan further action on the basis thereof.The Democratic Alliance (DA) also called on Nzimande to withdraw the draft bill‚ saying it gave him too much power to intervene in university affairs.The DA’s shadow higher education and training minister‚ Belinda Bozzoli‚ said at the weekend the bill would provide the minister with the power to "determine transformation goals for the higher education system and institute appropriate oversight mechanisms".In the case of institutional breakdown‚ the minister’s powers to appoint administrators and assessors and to dissolve councils had been broadened to include such criteria as '"reasonable grounds‚ rather than the existing objective legal threshold for this action‚ and he would have the discretion to take ‘any other appropriate action’ should he see fit to do so‚ — again boosting his powers”‚ Bozzoli said.She said oversight of university councils should vest in semi-autonomous bodies such as the council on higher education and not in the hands of the state. – With Business Day..