Fee-free higher education may not sufficiently impact unemployment and inequality rates, considering the costs

Abstract

The South African government has validated the right of its citizens to free tertiary education. Since the #FeesMustFall movement in 2016, it has been committed to subsidising fee-free education for 90% of academically qualified university and college students. Yet these investments come at a cost. HSRC research draws attention to the potential consequences of providing South African youth with tuition-free higher education.