The Student Representative Council (SRC) at the University of the Free State announced on Monday that the institution would be shut down for the entire week.

This comes after Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande announced that each university would decide its own fee increase.

SRC president Lindokuhle Ntuli told hundreds of students gathered at the student centre that a national shutdown was needed in response to the minister's announcement.

"Our call is for government to fund the poor and we can't compromise that. Since the beginning of the year, government has been delaying to look into the grievances of students," he said.

One student who was part of the crowd, Kelebogile Thulo, said she was shocked when she heard Nzimande's announcement.

"Blade is arrogant, we thought he learnt his lesson last year. Black students are going to suffer," she said.

Another student, Sam Styrax, said, "Blade has played a very clever trick by shifting the responsibilities to students. He wants us to blame the universities for fee increase."