‘Liberalise higher education’. Now there’s a phrase likely to send a shiver down the spine of any local Marxist sociology professor. Particularly if ‘liberalise’ is regarded as being cover for the word ‘privatise’ and especially in light of the growing influence of private higher education and campuses. However it would really help if South Africa did consider doing just that.

Truth be told off the bat, those departments opposed to pri…I mean liberalising probably have little to fear. They long ago made themselves financially uncompetitive enough that no evil neo-conglomerate corporation or vast right wing conspiracy linked private capital would dare consider any substantial venture with them. They’re also the role model of equalitarian politics that dictate a lot of higher education spending.

But then again, maybe not.

Indeed, one of the more overlooked aspects of globalisation itself is the quest by growing numbers of students to get the best relevant education they can in a rapidly advancing world economy. With the spread of communications and reduction in regulation in many countries, it’s encouraged various institutions to reduce their dependence on governments (and similarly brought pressure to bear on such governments to keep good minds and their related fee money in the country), as well as brought new teaching institutions, courses and studies to other countries.

Alas, South Africa doesn’t exactly fare too well here on either side of the coin and especially when it really needs to what with its poor education return relative to public spending when measured against other countries.

That The Economist then notes in categories rating the regulatory framework for foreign providers of higher education, where South Africa falls into the ‘very restrictive’ grouping, it points to one of the very underlying faults holding back better returns on investment in education i.e. Government suspicion of foreign education providers.

True, the internationally recognised and foreign base CFA and CIMA business degrees are available locally but there’s not too much outside of them and when Bond University pulled out of country for the above reason that should have sent a warning. Regulation to prevent abuse of students from shoddy courses is also an issue but in light of many local education providers quality one wonders whether that’s a valid objection. Especially when the economy requires more professionals like engineers, doctors, teachers and accountants – not some obscure long running doctorate course delving into the deeper relevance of the deconstructionist angle of neo-marxist philosophy.