Presentation to HE&T Portfolio Committee

Department of Higher Education & Training

29 January 2010

Content of presentation The Policy Framework

Universities Colleges

Brief report on the 2010 registration process Progress with 2010 registration process Challenges regarding registration NSFAS Update on upfront payments requested Plans to improve throughput rate

UNIVERSITIES

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Guiding Framework for Size and Shape of the System Enrolment Planning and Teaching Input

Subsidy The HE system must contribute to national HRD and

research priorities. Need to increase the enrolment and graduate output

of scarce and critical skills. Enrolments must be matched to available resources,

physical, human and financial. Focus on improving graduation and success rates. A differentiated approach to enrolment planning

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Institutions manage admission Point systems based on NSC results Differentiated by institution and programme

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Actual and Projected Enrolments

19 April 2023 7

Public Investment in HE

19 April 2023 8

Enrolment Trends by Field of Study

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Graduates by Field of Study

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COLLEGES

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Student Enrolment at Public FET colleges between 1987 to 2007

54078 89933180466

406144470000

0

200000

400000

600000

Y1987 Y1992 Y1997 Y2002 Y2007

Year

Stu

den

t Enro

lmen

t

YEAR NATIONAL ENROLMENT

2007 25 000

2008 60 000

2009 120 000

2010 177 000

2011 256 000

2012 371 000

2013 538 000

2014 800 000

Student enrolment projections reflect the Recapitalisation Grant investment per province and per college; enrolment growth of between 43% and 46% is maintained; throughput rate is improved to between 60% and 80%; provinces make funding available to support student enrolment growth; the infrastructure is used efficiently; provinces continue to recapitalise colleges for infrastructure expansion.

Projected college enrolments, 2010

PROVINCE PROGRAMMES TOTAL

NC(V) NATED ALL

EC 11465 2191 13656

FS 3928 751 4679

GT 25665 4904 30569

KZN 18191 3476 21667

LM 15391 2941 18332

MP 8308 1587 9895

NC 2092 400 2492

NW 6874 1313 8187

WC 10753 2055 12808

DHET 102667 19618 122285

Projected Enrolments

Projections are provided, as the enrolment process is still in progress to be concluded on 19 February 2010

The enrolment figures do not include the NSDSII Targets for which they must serve the SETAS to deliver on their SLAs

The HE programmes offered by colleges in collaboration with HE institutions are not included

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Brief report on the 2010 registration process: Universities and Colleges There is a Task Team that monitors registration in

all institutions Department has established three dedicated

telephone lines wherein the public and students call in to enquire about available funding to higher education institutions

There are also consultations that take place in the Department on a daily basis

The Department also receives huge volumes of letters enquiring about funding and complaints related to academic exclusions and unfair treatment

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Progress - 2010 registration process Minister met with the South African Union of

Students (SAUS), and Higher Education South Africa (HESA), and SACPO

Minister has visited DUT, UNIZUL and TUT to monitor and assess the registration process, meetings were also held with Management and SRC’s at these institutions.

Further visits will take place

Monitoring Registration at Colleges Colleges still a provincial function

Visits to all provinces underway (Gauteng, W Cape, N Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga complete)

Cabinet Memo March Provincial Departments monitoring registration,

cooperative relationship Reports received from Colleges/ provinces where

we are aware of difficulties

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NSFAS

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Universities In December 2009 all institutions received letters from

NSFAS indicating the process for 2010 allocations containing the following information:

Maximum award size will be R47 000 and minimum will be R2000

Institutions are expected to submit quarterly reports the first report to be submitted in August 2010

All institutions were informed of the availability of funds to assist with registration payments

The application of the Means Test as required by the NSFAS policy

The establishment of financial aid committee s constituted by various stakeholders and SRC

The Department can report that the majority of institutions did establish Financial Aid Committees

A number of institutions have been slow in applying the NSFAS policy on upfront payments even for students who were NSFAS recipients in the previous year.

Only five institutions have made use of the upfront payment facility allocated by NSFAS and most institutions are indicating that they will submit their applications towards the end of February.

There are serious challenges of staffing for financial aid offices in most institutions

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October 2006, Minister of Finance announced the allocation of college bursaries.

Rationale – provision of access to financially needy yet academically capable students into FET Colleges.

R600 million allocated over three years:o 2007 – R100 million (12 388 students benefitted)o 2008 – R200 million (37 790 students benefitted)o 2009 – R300 million (21 253 students benefitted until

30 July 2009, more expected to benefit by end Sept 09)

NSFAS – Administration & Management

Only South African Citizens are eligible for applying for the bursaries.

Only students enrolled or wishing to enrol on NC(V) programmes are eligible to apply.

Bursary allocations for Colleges are based on NC(V) enrolments, approved programmes & available funding.

Student bursary award is based on the administration of the Means Test tool – as a guide.

Colleges make the final determination on which students are awarded bursaries.

Student bursary awards based on financial need and academic performance.

Students who are repeating an NC(V) Level are not eligible for a bursary.

NSFAS processes & pays out bursary funds to colleges.

What the bursary may cover:o College feeso Textbookso Academic levieso Accommodationo Travel

Department of Educationo Allocation of bursary funds to colleges.o Monitoring and support of the administration and

management of the bursary scheme.o Training of colleges on the administration and

management of the bursary scheme. Provincial Departments of Education

o Monitor and support colleges in the administration & management of the bursary scheme.

o Training workshops on the bursary scheme.

Collegeso Student Support Services Officer/Manager -

responsible.o Bursary Committee – Approval processes.o Marketing the DoE FET Colleges Bursary Scheme to

students.o Administering student applications.o Awarding/rejecting student applications.o Submission of SoPs to NSFAS.o Advising students (in writing) of the outcome of their

applications.o Submission of annual NSFAS online reports.

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Challenges regarding Financial Aid: Universities A number of Universities have been slow in applying the

NSFAS policy on upfront payments even for students who were NSFAS recipients in the previous year.

Only five institutions have made use of the upfront payment facility allocated by NSFAS and most institutions are indicating that they will submit their applications towards the end of February.

Most institutions are experiencing accommodation problems as a result of the increase in numbers

There are serious challenges of staffing for financial aid offices in most institutions

Majority of institutions do not plan appropriately for registration i.e. Zululand

Political student tensions continue to be a challenge for the institutions

Challenges cont..

To date there are only two institutions where disruptions took place viz: DUT and TUT

At DUT the SRC complained about NSFAS arrangements for senior students and accommodation. The Ministry met with the SRC and encouraged them to continue their negotiations with students.

The reports received from Management indicated that most of the demands that were put by the SRC were resolved

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Challenges cont..

At TUT Soshanguve Campus registration was disrupted by PASMA owing to demands for a blanket registration of all students irrespective of the outstanding debts.

To date the campus is closed and LSRC has been suspended until February 2010, this follows serious infightings between SASCO and PASMA supporters.

Ministry and the Department did visit the University and after the assessment of the situation, the University was advised to take the above mentioned measures.

Pended registration will resume on Tuesday 2nd

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NSFAS upfront payments for registration fees 8 Dec 2009 – NSFAS letter to VCs re final NSFAS

allocation & 20 Dec circular to all institutions 30% of total institutional allocation is available for upfront

payment for registration fees for students who cannot pay & who would normally qualify for a NSFAS award & are likely to be awarded a loan/ bursary

Univ to submit list of names & other details to NSFAS who will pay within 14 days

29 Jan 2010 – DG letter emailed to all VCs in this regard Acting DDG met with NSFAS to discuss monitoring Daily updates received from NSFAS

IMPROVING THROUGHPUT

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Plans to improve throughput rate at Universities Three interventions employed:

Foundation programme funding Teaching development funds Funds for improving physical teaching

facilities

Foundation Programmes

Foundation programmes extend standard curricula by one year of study.

Foundation funds are used to provide additional academic staff, and new teaching equipment.

In 2007/08-2009/10 total of R403 million was allocated to foundation programmes, for a total of 37 000 new undergraduate students.

In 2010/11 to 2011/12 total will be R517 million, for total of 48 000 new undergraduate students.

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Foundation Programmes cont… Foundation programmes extend standard

curricula by one year of study. Foundation funds are used to provide additional

academic staff, and new teaching equipment. In 2007/08-2009/10 total of R403 million was

allocated to foundation programmes, for a total of 37 000 new undergraduate students.

In 2010/11 to 2011/12 total will be R517 million, for total of 48 000 new undergraduate students

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Teaching Development Grants

Teaching development funds based at present on formula. This will be dropped from 2011/12.

New policy will make these ear-marked funds aimed at those identified courses which hamper throughput rates of disadvantaged students.

Funds available for this targeted teaching development will total R1 160 million in 2011/12 and 2012/13

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Earmarked funds for improving teaching facilities Improving throughput rates depends also on

building new classrooms, and class labs, renovating existing ones, and purchasing new, up-to-date teaching equipment

In 2007/08 to 2009/10 a total of R 3 578 million in earmarked funds was allocated to universities, primarily for enhancing teaching services.

A further R3 200 million has been allocated for 2010/11 and 2011/12 for same purpose, but including provision for new and renovated student housing. Enhanced student housing is also essential to improving student throughput rates.

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Plans to improve throughput rates – NC(V) Qualification, programme and curriculum development Centralised assessment, examinations and quality

assurance systems Lecturer training, development and support Offering lecturer support informed largely by the analysis of

the 2009 Exam results DHET will continue to provide Academic support

programmes for Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy to ensure year on year improvement

Selection and placement of students into appropriate programmes

Monitoring of student attendance for improved retention Monitoring and support to colleges on the implementation

of Student Support Services

THANK YOU

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