Saturday, 10 March 2018

Analyzing #FeesMustFall

The movement began in 2015 in which students were protesting against the rising university fees that were pressuring  poor black students,obviously๐Ÿ˜ฐ๐Ÿ˜ฑ๐Ÿ’”. The movement was to cater for the poor and also to redress matters of the past. The movement was largely recognized when two historically white universities,WITS and UCT started to protest against the rising fees, but why them?๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ™
Democratize university fees!
Public Relations opportunities for the #tag
So everyone thought that the movement was about fees only right? Yeah, thought as much. This movement was
Matters of concern that arose from the #tag
to raise the concerns that students had with the education system with fees being at the center. Students wanted the decolonization of the educational system ,transformation of universities to address racial and gender inequalities.
1.So this creates an opportunity for Public Relations Practitioners to communicate a clear message about the movement and matters arising from it through social media by keeping the #tag trending  and having a conversation.
2. The movement became intensified to an extent where the government had to intervene. This created an opportunity for PRP's to receive all the scoop about the matter through engaging with politicians by following them on social media.
Image result for intervention of Blade Nzimande on fees must fall
The intervention of the Minister of the Minister of Higher Education and Training
3. This movement granted the PRP's the perfect opportunity to market themselves as thought leaders, by sharing their views concerning the matter since it was trending both on the ground and the net. 

Public Relations misfortunes for the #tag:
1. This movement was a very delicate and  sensitive issue therefore it created an obstacle for  PRP's to give their full opinions that would not "offend" the public or put the PRP in a microscope.
2. It requests thorough research that needs the PRP to be very vigilant as a lot of issues arose from it and since it has its negative aspects amd required that the PRP does not become biased.

Recommendations:
#FeesMustFall and social media.
1. Public Relations Practitioners should be conversational in order to keep the public interested and to hear their views.
2. Public Relations Practitioners should be always updated so that they do not post old news.
3. Public Relations Practitioners should be very specific and brief in their posts.

3 comments:

  1. I am so glad that finally the fees must fall campaign has played the vital role, now we are getting the good results since the government has made a public announcement that this year all first year students will receive free fees.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The government has to take this issue seriously and reach student's demands. Government has to realize that not all students can afford to pay their fees

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is saddening to know students had to take it this far , to start a movement . And thank you for touching the issues that were also part of the movement

    ReplyDelete

Analyzing #SayNoToXenophobia According to Merriam Webster, Xenophobia is fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that ...