A decade after Fees Must Fall: the funding crisis still plagues higher-education students
A DECADE AFTER FEES MUST FALL
In October 2015, students across South Africa marched, occupied campus grounds and gathered at the Union Buildings in Pretoria demanding free higher education. The fight was animated, urgent, driven by a vision of access, equity and transformation. Ten years later, it’s worth reflecting on how much progress we’ve truly made, and how much work still lies ahead.
WHAT WAS ACHIEVED
After the protests, important reforms followed. For example, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was expanded to cover many poor and working-class students, and some institutions reported high levels of funded students (for instance one university claimed about 90 % of students were government-funded). The 0 % fee increase announcement in 2015 provided a short-term victory. So the movement did deliver wins: insourcing of workers, language-policy changes, and greater awareness of student voice.
THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS: “MISSING MIDDLE” AND SYSTEMIC GAPS
Yet the promise of “free education” remains mostly on paper. The “missing middle” students who are not poor enough to qualify for full aid, but not wealthy enough to pay fees, still slip through the cracks. The funding model has not kept pace with the scale of demand, nor have the institutions fully absorbed the complexity of student poverty, retention and success. The reality that, ten years on, we’re still speaking of a “funding crisis” in higher education says a great deal.
WHY THIS MATTERS FOR EXCEL@UNI’S MISSION
At Excel@Uni, our mission is to help South African students persist and succeed, many of whom are in the very “missing middle” zone or navigating multiple socio-economic obstacles. The reality is that access alone is not enough: a student may gain entry, but if fees, allowances, books, data, accommodation and meals are uncertain, the promise of higher education remains fragile. The legacy of Fees Must Fall demands more than legacy recognitions, it demands action. Students still face funding shortfalls, delayed payments, institutional administrative bottlenecks, and social burdens that undermine academic success. These are the spaces where Excel@Uni intervenes: bridging funding gaps, offering persistence support, and cultivating a student culture of resilience.
THE WAY FORWARD: BEYOND ACCESS TO SUCCESS
To fulfil the true promise of the 2015 movement, we must shift from access to success. Here are three priorities:
• Expand funding models to include the “missing middle” - Design bursaries, grants and flexible loans that recognise today’s student realities (part-time work, family responsibilities, living costs).
• Holistic student support – funding is only one piece. Mentoring, data access, mental-health support and campus belonging matter for student completion and value.
• Institutional-private-sector partnership – the public funding envelope cannot carry the burden alone. Organisations like Excel@Uni and other stakeholders must collaborate with universities, government and corporate funders to create integrated ecosystems of success.
CONCLUSION
A decade after the landmark Fees Must Fall protests, the moment is right for reflection and renewed resolve. Yes, important strides have been made. But for thousands of students, the funding crisis remains real and relentless. At Excel@Uni we believe that the fight for transformation continues, not just for free access, but for freeing student potential.
Let us honour the movement by turning its ideals into impact: by enabling every South African student not only to enter higher education, but to thrive and graduate with dignity, purpose and opportunity.
