The world’s most celebrated military philosopher of all time, Sun Tzu, had taught humanity the essence of a “mutually beneficial victory”.
A mutually beneficial victory refers to any solution which caters for the varied aspirations of all antagonists involved.
Sun Tzu reckons the real motive of war is not to secure a bloody victory over your opponents. On the contrary, the real motive of war is to secure a mutually beneficial victory for both warring parties. Modern classical economists refer to Sun Tzu’s mutually beneficial victory as a “win-win solution”.
The unfolding student protests over demands for free tertiary education reminds me of Sun Tzu’s timeless wisdom.
At the precarious height of #FeesMustFall protests last year, government succumbed and instructed all university managers not to hike tuition fees in 2016. That decision came as a great victory for university students because that had never happened before.
Furthermore, government also pledged to subsidise all university students who shall not be able to pay registration fees for 2016. Last week government confirmed it has settled outstanding fees of all students who were owing universities since 2013.
In an astonishing gesture of complete bewilderment, student leaders are still defiant and are unappreciative of government’s noble efforts.
These recalcitrant student leaders are now fighting for the immediate implementation of free tertiary education.
I urge all university student leaders to hold fire, acknowledge their successes, appreciate government’s efforts and continue to negotiate with government. Provision of free tertiary education is not a sporadic event which can just happen at a whimsical magician’s call.
The implementation of free tertiary education is a continual process which demands visionary planning and, judging by government’s recent efforts, I’m convinced students have achieved their desired objective of “free education for all deserving students”.
In his masterpiece titled The Art of War, Sun Tzu professes: “the supreme art of war is to subdue the opponent without fighting.”
If people’s words and deeds are failing to reach a desired consensus, then a compromise becomes an amicable solution. Free tertiary education should begin with academically-brilliant students from impoverished family backgrounds. Student veterans who take eight years to complete a three-year degree/diploma must be exempted from free tertiary education.
Elivis Masoga
Political Analyst
