Only 12% of students go to university, minister says

The Citizen 15 June 2022

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande said South Africa needed to produce more graduates if it was to meet its workforce needs. Speaking at a Fuel Retailers Association conference on 9 June, Nzimande said South Africa’s current graduate statistics were concerning and there were few students who ultimately made it through South Africa’s school system, reports Lunga Simelane for The Citizen.

“One of the challenges we need to confront is the number of students who enter our university system, as a proportion of those who started Grade One. Out of 100 students, only 12 access our university system, and only six complete – four with a degree,” he said.

University of KwaZulu-Natal Associate Professor in Education Wayne Hugo said the issue of students dropping out stemmed from the historical struggle of access to quality education. He said the type of students who attended university since democracy showed the radical increase of black intake, which was vital, but also revealed how students struggled during their first and second years because there was no guidance and understanding. Hugo said students faced difficulties in engaging with the university type of study.
Full report on The Citizen site

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