The campaign #Feesmustfall is all about students protesting about the fees increasement in South Africa Universities, whereby they feel that some of them would not be able to afford the fees or they may even drop out of the university resulting in them not completing their studies.
The social media response towards #Feesmustfall campaign was a positive reaction because in most cases many have been wanting to voice out their opinions about the matter and could not but now they can.
So social media gave students the platform to do that part, they did not only voice out their opinions, movement timeline, a movement that was ground breaking to in our country and not only in our country but as well as our different social networks
Students were involved in decisions makings wherever they were, on Facebook, twitter even on Instagram, most of these students did not know what was happening but because social media played a big role they got to know. It is also worth noticing that however without instant connectivity provided by social media, it is unlikely that #Feesmustfall movement would have spread as quickly as it has.
Taking to social media to share relevant content, as in pictures,tweets and videos played a big part as well because in doing so other account users got to see them, created Facebook pages, imprinted T-shirts and created posters that people followed and everything started trending, not everyone was still watching the news but people knew where they had to go to get information,free data for protesting students
The challenges that students faced was that because police were involved some got arrested and some got hurt during the movement,
It also did not make it easier when Minister of higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande said that there should be #Studentsmustfall, he was not bringing himself to see change in the system of our education whereby students were fighting for paying such huge amounts to get an education.
Advantages of the movement is that it gained recognition by our local celebrities who even wore printed shirts in support of the movement, students also got a response that there would no fee increasement for 2016.
As a public relations practitioner I would recommend that before students start to protest they would first have to have written a memorandum in which they could submit it to the vice chancellor and the vice chancellor takes it up to the relevant people who have authority, so that it can be handled in a manner that would not cause commission between student and the University.
we understand our country is facing a major problem with the economy but that should not affect our educations the fees must fall yes we are relaying on bursaries and a few savings from our parents this increase of fees is out of hand and we can not afford that we have the right to education so i say fall
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your blog I felt like it was a breath of fresh air compared to all the news articles about the movement I read before. Keep it up
ReplyDeletethey must fall indeed, do we have to strive for education like this? all because of finances, isn't education more important? if really it wasn't for this movement some students would be home, the country should not make or economy start affecting our studies you are right Keorapetse
ReplyDeletethank you Exploring the media minds, we have to really take a stand and fight for what we believe in, if we don't, who else is going to do it for us.
ReplyDeleteyes i agree with you students have to write a memorandum, because boycotting does not solve anything
ReplyDeleteI feel that way as well, because there such ways in which things can be handled as I did state
DeleteBokamoso Future, we as students did write a memorandum of demand clearly stating what we want as students which is zero percent fee increment, free education and all universities to end outsourcing.
ReplyDeleteAs much as the protest was good again in other unversities it became chaotic as well, and violence played a major role in which that could be avoided as well, many students were from afar and they were busy stranded on the streets because now some of these unversities were being closed and everyone was thrown out on the street so I believe that before the whole thing they could have thought about such
Deletefees must fall free education for all
ReplyDelete