By: Lungisa Somtombo
While students get financially excluded across the country in institutions of higher learning and free education is still a dream, Thuthukani Nkosi wrote a book titled The Real Price of a Degree to alarm societies especially students about issues black students face in higher education.
With this book, Nkosi wants to alert parents with children who are yet to enter higher education about the struggles students go through trying to get a degree.
“While I was a student at the University of KwaZulu Natal I was involved in politics and the stories I heard about what students do to make sure they pay registration fees and my story as I was also financially excluded is what prompted me to write this book,” said Nkosi.
The University of KwaZulu Natal Masters Candidate said some students had to lose their virginity to survive varsity, parents had to sell livestock that had sentimental value to make sure their children get the degree.
Currently, some students are not registered yet because of financial exclusion while academic activities are continuing with those who are registered.
As the National Student, Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) recently cut off some qualifications on their list of funded qualifications, plenty of students are left without a plan on how to fund their degrees.
Nkosi said he wrote this book to expose that the government’s affirmative actions to amend past inequalities is just a way to buy votes.
This book highlights that a degree to black students does not just cost money as some students had to lose their virginity trying to get their degrees, some had to go to jail fighting for free education.
Nkosi added that this book is for everyone, from high school learners who are yet to enter higher education and parents with children in universities so they can see what students have to go through to get a degree.
“I want to let students know that education is important, however, it should not be worth their souls,” said Nkosi.
To get the book people can contact him on all his social media platforms. He is Thuthukani Nkosi on Instagram, @thuthukaniNkosi on Twitter and The Real Price of a Degree by Thuthukani Nkosi on Facebook. The book costs R300 including delivery.