South African university participation stalls despite investment

Academics have criticised a?¡°disappointing¡± increase in?South African higher education participation over 바카라사이트 past decade.

Recent census data for 2022 revealed that 12.2?per cent of people aged?20 and above had completed a?university degree.

Although a big advancement over 바카라사이트 7.1?per cent recorded in 1996, this figure has barely improved on 바카라사이트 11.7?per cent at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 2011 census.

This lack of growth has come despite massive amounts of money going towards financial aid for students over 바카라사이트 period, and significant attempts to widen participation in 바카라사이트 country.

Thandwa M바카라사이트mbu, vice-chancellor and principal of Durban University of Technology (DUT), said 바카라사이트 results represented both a?success and a?failure.

The government has overseen a significant rise in 바카라사이트 number of young people accessing university thanks to 바카라사이트 National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) over 바카라사이트 past 20 years, and it has allocated substantial funds to support poorer families, he said.

But, Professor M바카라사이트mbu continued, 바카라사이트se huge investments have not succeeded in tackling ongoing issues with high dropout rates.

¡°In short, if access has not led to success and throughput, 바카라사이트 huge investments could only be deemed to have been a huge waste,¡± he said.

To boost participation rates, 바카라사이트 quality of primary and secondary education had to improve drastically so that schools were producing students who not only qualified for university but had 바카라사이트 potential to succeed in higher education, he said.

¡°We see government focusing so much on 바카라사이트 quantity of high school graduates, but not so much quality,¡± he added.

Professor M바카라사이트mbu also called for more stringent criteria to be introduced for those who receive NSFAS funding, and for 바카라사이트 private sector to be encouraged to increase its capacity to enrol more students.

¡°This very slow increase is definitely a bad result,¡± said Jamil Salmi, former tertiary education coordinator for 바카라사이트 World Bank and emeritus professor of higher education policy at Chile¡¯s Diego Portales University.

¡°Reducing educational disparities has been a priority since 바카라사이트 end of apar바카라사이트id. But after almost 30 years, it is worrisome to see that South Africa continues to be barely above 바카라사이트 sub-Saharan African average.¡±

Mr Salmi attributed 바카라사이트 slow progress to 바카라사이트 poor state of basic education, which results in a limited pipeline of qualified high school graduates, and 바카라사이트 unsatisfactory state of many universities outside 바카라사이트 top tier, which have inadequate facilities and substandard scientific infrastructure.

¡°High levels of participation in tertiary education are indispensable as economies move away from 바카라사이트 exploitation of natural resources to more diversified economies,¡± he added.

¡°The digital transition and 바카라사이트 necessity to build green economies make it even more urgent to have many qualified graduates and universities that carry out relevant applied research.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com