Abstract
Interrogating the White Paper 3 of 1997 which upholds academic freedom, institutional autonomy and public accountability, I make the case for justice through higher education using public accountability. I argue that the higher education system in South Africa is capable of fulfilling such a role in the context of extreme injustices but not without a critical engagement of the extent and causes of these injustices and an understanding of their implications for academic curricula, practices and deeply embedded conceptions of knowledge. A redefinition of higher education institutions’ public accountability in terms of responsibility to their ‘institutional locale’ or community (the populations whose needs they should be meeting) can be an effective ‘proactive tool’ with which higher education can redress social injustices. This requires an interrogation of the social, political and economic conditions of possibility that either inhibit or aid educational desire and attainment. An investigation of this nature entails a rigorous reappraisal of all three of the key principles within which higher education systems operate—academic freedom, institutional autonomy and public accountability—if they are to guard against the continued perpetuation of epistemic and social injustices.
Isingeniso
Ngokuphenyau‐White Paper 3 ka 1997 ovikela inkululeko yezifundiswa, ukuzimela kwezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme kanye nokusebenza kwazo ngendlela ehabiselana nemithetho yakuleli, ngibeka inkulumo ephathelene nobulungiswa ngokomthetho wezwe. Kucwaningo lolu ngiqakulisa ngokuthi uhlelo lwemfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika lungakwazi ukudlala indima yokubuyiselana, ikhakhulukazi lapho sibhekene nokucwaswa kolwazi lwabantu abamnyama eminyakeni engaphambilini. Ngiqhuba ngokuveza ukuthi ukubuyiselana akungeke kwenzeke singacwaningile ngeso elijulile isisusa sokucwaswa nemiphumela yakho. Lolu cwaningo luveza isizinda nokujula kwezindlela esicabanga ngazo ngolwazi nokwakhiwa kwalo. Ukwetha kabusha imigomo yezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme, yikho okuzophendula izidingo zomphakhathi, lapho isikhungo sizithola khona, kungaba impendulo esiza isizwe ekulwiseni imiphumela yokucwaswa kanye nokucindezelwa kolwazi lwabantu bendabuko. Lokhu kudinga siphenye okumayelana nezenhlalakahle, ipoliki kanye nezomnotho wesizwe. Kuqhubeka kusisize ukuqonda lokho okuxhasa futhi kudlondlobalisa imfundo, noma lokho okwenza isifiso semfundo siphalale. Lolu cwaningo lubikezela ukuthi siphikisane nalokho esesikuthatha njengenhlala yenza mayelana nokuphathwa kwezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme, ngisho phela inkululeko yezifundiswa, ukuzimela kwezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme kanye nokulandela imigomo yakuleli.