Government tackles university space crisis

January 20, 2012 | Filed underPopular News,Previous news | Posted by editor
Preparing to study … Students queuing to ensure all administrative processes are complete before registering to study at the University of the Free State.
In a week where matriculants who graduated with exemption were seen scrambling for spaces at already overburdened universities across the country,  the Department of Higher Education has proposed interventions that will see enrolment at institutes of higher learning increase while expanding capacity at the same time.
The death of a parent, who was caught in a stampede when the University of Johannesburg was processing late applications last week, led to Minister Blade Nzimande proposing a centralised system for applications.
“Better administrative procedures, timely application by prospective students, and improved information provision to matriculants will go a long way towards addressing this problem.  However, the government is now also rethinking the system of applications to universities, including possibly doing away with ‘walk-ins’,” stated Nzimande.
Plans are on track to establish a centralised office and have it operational by next year.
The applications office will handle all higher education applications in one office and will carry one application fee.
The department is also aiming to address the jobs and training crisis by having more than 5.5 million students a year enrolling at universities, colleges, and other tertiary institutions by 2030.
Nzimande said during the release of the Green Paper for Post-School Education and Training in Pretoria last week that about 900 000 students enrol at the country’s 23 universities each year. This number is set to increase to 1.5 million within the next
20 years.
“The minister said the department has taken “bold steps” to make study at Further Education and Training (FET) colleges and other post-school institutions equally, if not more, attractive.“
He also announced that plans to establish two new universities, one in Mpumalanga and one in the Northern Cape, are now “fairly advanced”.
“They will relieve the pressure on the existing universities and expand access in previously un-serviced regions.”
On the main campus of the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein (UFS), the institution which absorbs the largest part of eligible matriculants from the Northern Cape, thousands of young people could be seen late last week eager to register for a tertiary course for the first time.
The UFS received almost 13 000 applications for studies in 2012. The institution can, however, only accommodate 4 000 new first year students. About 30 percent of the students on campus last week were late applicants hoping to be accommodated.
At the offices of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) on the campus, there was also an influx of students. NSFAS has been allocated R5.5-billion to help students around the country finance
their studies.

A new experience … A prospective student finding her way on campus.
Some of the students The Weekly spoke to were unsure of their future as they had received bursaries, but were forced to change their fields of study.
Mpho Lebona from Virginia, a top three matriculant at her high school, had to change from Optometry to B. Education because her application was declined.
“I have met the minimum requirements to study but I think I was declined because of the competition there is in Optometry. That’s why I had to change my career path. I will apply for Education then later in the year try again for Optometry.”
Another area of concern was the issue of accommodation. The university can only accommodate a fraction of the new first years in its residences and sometimes students have to search far and wide for suitable and convenient accommodation.
Kovsie Private Accommodation, which has in the past been slated for the state of its communes, was flooded with first years who were seeking a place to live.
Second year B Com Financial Management student Phumeza Mphetshwa said this was the second year that she had experienced problems.
“Accommodation is such a stressful part of registration. As a first year there is a certain M-Score you must have to be accepted to stay in a residence. When you get to second year it becomes even more difficult to find a place to stay on campus, no matter how well you passed.”
Although there was a welcoming atmosphere on campus, many students looked overwhelmed by the new environment.
Gcobisa Matate from Sterkspruit was close to tears as she explained her dilemma.
“I am here looking to study, but I did not apply. I want to study Nursing, They told me that they are no longer taking people for Social Work. I also did not see any options for public relations.”
The Central University of Technology received more than 6 000 applications, but the institution can only accept 3 300 first year students.
According to Nzimande, the problem of late applications is “symptomatic of a larger challenge”.
“Universities alone cannot – nor should they – cater for all post-school education.”
The minister said the department has taken “bold steps” to make study at Further Education and Training (FET) colleges and other post-school institutions equally, if not more, attractive.
“As from 2011, all students who qualify for assistance under the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, and who are pursuing occupationally directed certificate and diploma programmes, do not have to pay fees at the FET colleges; with some also getting additional transport and accommodation subsidies.”
FET college bursaries increased from about R380-million in 2010 to more than R1.3-billion in 2011. Further increases are planned.
Nzimande added that the department has intervened where needed to improve FET colleges’ performance with regard to their management, teaching, qualifications, and student support.
He further revealed that the department plans to introduce a new institutional type, which is provisionally being called Community Education and Training Centres, to address the needs of all out-of-school young people and adults, irrespective of their formal levels of education.
“These will absorb and transform the existing public adult learning centres and significantly strengthen the provision of education and training to all South Africans.”
A ministerial task team is working on concrete proposals for these institutions.
  •  
  •  
  •