I
am part of a Methodist tertiary educational institution - and we are one of the
very few tertiary institutions open today. Everywhere across the country tertiary
education is on strike. I have a daughter studying at UCT, and a niece studying at Wits University. I
also have friends who teach at Stellenbosch University, Pretoria University, University
of KwaZuluNatal and the University of South Africa. As I listen to them, the
one common theme is that tertiary education is frustratingly expensive. And
that people are unable to pay the increases for next year.
These
increases are for a number of reasons, including a weakening economy, a steady decrease
in Government funding, and the resultant difficulty of funding an educational
institution in our South Africa context. I should know, because we are
struggling with this issue here at our seminary. And our students - like
students elsewhere - are also feeling the pain of increased financial pressure.
At
the same time, allow me to offer one comment:
I
find it sad that it takes study fees to mobilize people.
·
We
have had xenophobic attacks on foreigners in Durban – and no University
Students protested
·
We
have seen corruption and dishonesty amongst our politicians – and no university
protested
·
Our
communities experienced women raped and children murdered – and nobody
protested.
But
the moment something touches our pockets, then we are on fire:
It
is tragic that it takes self-interest to mobilize us.
In
the light of this I turn to Jesus for guidance:
Mark 3:31 Then his mother and his
brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was
sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers
and sisters are outside, asking for you." 33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and
my brothers?" 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he
said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother
and sister and mother."
Jesus
is not saying that his mother and his brothers and sisters are not important.
What he is saying is that those who follow him ought to show the same
compassion that they have for their immediate family for others in their
community. Self interest is when we care
for our own family’s needs to the exclusion of others. God-interest is when we
are willing to make the whole community our family.
So
let us protest the increase in fees – but only after we have protested the
plight of other poor people in our community!
