1. Access, success and equity in higher
education, for societal development: a
South African case study
IAU Conference, 16 - 18 November 2011
Nairobi
by
Thandwa Mthembu*, Antoni Szubarga, Laurika van Straaten, Nosisa Mayaba
*presenting
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2. Map of South Africa
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3. Coordinates: 29°7'20"S 26°12'54"E
We are in central South Africa, where CUT makes a
3
difference.

4. CUT’s Vision 2020
To become an engaged university that produces
quality social and technological innovations for
socio-economic development, particularly in the
central region of South Africa
4

5. Strategic Design To Vision 2020
• Focusing on innovation for industrial and socio-economic
development
Partnerships
• Incubation platforms for SMMEs in the manufacturing,
mining and the agricultural sector
• Strong links with business and industry through Public
Private Partnerships and other mechanisms
• International links to access and develop new technologies
Academic Project
• Academic research and innovation programmes aligned with the 2020
Vision
• Relevant niche areas and supporting centres
• Student-centred methodologies and supporting facilities
• Emancipating, empowering and supportive engagements and transactions
between students and staff and amongst all staff
New values, ethos, attitudes, behaviors and relations
transformation
•
Foundation/
• New organizational design, function and structure aligned with Vision 2020
• State-of-the-art facilities
• Developing high level skills and competencies amongst staff, especially younger
members and designated groups
• Pre-University programmes for learners in SET
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6. Key points of learner progression
 This paper provides a closer look at the key points of learner progression
through the education system:
 Matriculation or high school pass rates;
 University admission;
 Participation at undergraduate to doctoral levels;
 Success and graduation rates
 Availability of quality academic workforce to make the system work
efficiently
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7. Overview
 PART 1: Access, success and equity: the South African
scenario
 Inputs into university: Grade 12 pass rates, first-time entries into
the higher education system, including STEM enrolments
 Access to university: The point score system most universities use
 Outputs: Success rates at Grade 12 and graduation rates
 Process requirements: Engagement in research and innovation
 PART II: Conclusion
 CUT’s strategic response
 Intervention initiatives
 Conclusion
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8. South Africa’s investment in education
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9. SA’s public investment in education
• At 5.3% of GDP and 20% of total state expenditure, SA has one of the highest rates of public
investment in education in Africa and the world, but with very little to show for it as will be presented
later.
Table 1. Percentage GDP spend on education (http://data.worldbank.org/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS )
Country name 2006 2007 2008 2009
Botswana 8 7.8 7.8 7.9
Tanzania 6.9 6.7 6.7
Namibia 6.6 6.8 6.4
Norway 6.6 6.8 6.4
United States 5.6 5.5 5.5
South Africa 5.3 5.3 5.1 5.4
Brazil 5 5.1
Russia 3.9 4.1
Niger 3.3 4.1 3.7 4.5
Cameroon 3 3.3 2.9 3.6
India 3.1
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10. Inputs and access to universities from
high school
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11. The pre-university education system
 Education bands:
 Grade 0-9 : General Education & Training (GET) band, and
 Grade 10-12 : Further Education & training (FET), which includes a vocational training section
 Phases through the grades: 3x4
 Foundation phase: Grade 1-3,
 Intermediate phase: Grade 4-6 and GET
 Senior phase: Grade 7-9
 FET phase: 10-12 FET
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12. SA’s National Grade 12 results
• The number of candidates who passed Mathematics and Physical Science
is significantly lower than the number of learners who had been enrolled for
those subjects and who had written the Grade 12 examinations. Source:
HEMIS 12

13. Population and gender distribution:
candidates who wrote Grade 12
examinations in 2010 in the Free State
• From the total number of 23 916 African learners in the Free State who wrote the
final Grade 12 examinations, only 588 (2.5%) passed Mathematics, English &
Physical Science and achieved the minimum admission requirements for CUT.
• On the other hand, of the 2 957 white candidates in those subjects, 639 passed,
which is approximately 21.6%. Note the proportion of females surpassing 13
that of males!

14. South African university admission
system: CUT’s example
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15. CUT threshold / point scoring system
• For candidates who completed Grade 12 in 2008 and thereafter, CUT awards academic
weights for achievement according to the following scoring scale:
Table 2.
% obtained 0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-89% 90-100%
in NSC
Point rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
% value
• Even if a higher mark is achieved in a Grade 12 subject called Life Orientation, the
value will still only be calculated as 1. A candidate who scores less than 27 points on
the CUT scoring scale in the Grade 12 examination is considered to be a candidate who
does not possess the necessary skills to successfully pursue a course of study at CUT
under the prevailing circumstances. Such a candidate will not be admitted to CUT.

16. First-time entry students at CUT
 In 2010, only 1 272 learners out of 27 770 Grade 12 learners in the Free
State who passed Grade 12 achieved results that enabled them to enroll for
programmes in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
at universities in 2011.
 Of the 1 272 that qualified for enrolment in STEM, only 580 (i.e. less than
50%) were from the African population group.
 In 2010, only 4 003 out of 27 770 Grade 12 in the Free State reached CUT’s
27 point threshold level. From the total number of the 4 003 cohort, only 979
(just shy of 25%) qualified for enrolment at CUT for the 2011 academic
year. This group consisted of 838 African, 109 white, 29 coloured and 2
Indian students.
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17. Availability of qualifying students &
access to university in the Free State
• Access into higher education is unfortunately also hindered by other factors
such as learners making wrong subject choices at school level, the quality of
education provided and financial constraints.
• Should admission criteria be upgraded (modified “upwards”), it will
result in a reduction in the number of students qualifying for admission
into higher education. Furthermore, the availability of potential students in
the FS should be taken into consideration when modifying admission criteria.
• Thus, there is a difficulty of having a sustainable and adequate supply of
well-qualifying high school graduates into higher education in South Africa.
• This creates a domino effect right up to university graduation rates, graduate
competences, employment absorption, innovation and socio-economic
development.
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18. Enrolments in universities - national
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19. Population distribution among first-time
student enrolment
• The table above shows a steady increase among African and coloured
groups entering higher education for the first time, whilst first-time entries
among white and Indian groups remain more or less constant. Source:
HEMIS 19

20. Post-graduate enrolments
• The 2005 to 2009 statistics indicate a slow increase in the number of African
and coloured post-graduates, whilst white and Indian post-graduate
enrolments remained stable. Source: HEMIS
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21. Post-graduate enrolments: analysis
 Thus, the percentage of African, coloured and Indian graduates
enrolling for post-graduate studies for the first time is 65%, and
for whites 79%.
 As can be seen from these percentages, the number of
graduates with post-graduate qualifications from the white
population group is still 14% percentage points higher than that
of African, coloured and Indians groups combined.
 Thus, post-graduate enrolments do not reflect the South African
population proportions.
 A national, regional or continental project is required to
solve these problems! 21

22. Population composition of doctoral
enrolments per population group
• The statistics indicate no significant increase in doctoral enrolments for any of
the population groups, and therefore a stagnant output.
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23. Population composition of doctoral
graduates per population group
• There is stagnant output in the total number of doctoral graduates across the
population groups.
• The number of doctoral graduates from the white population group is double that
of Africans, thus affecting the composition of the lecturing staff in the foreseeable
future and those who could be involved in research and innovation
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24. Analysis: doctoral enrolments
 Proportions of doctoral enrolments for different population
groups do not reflect the general population proportions. For
instance, the number of graduates from the white population
group is double that of Africans - again perpetuating the
inequalities of the past.
 In turn, this results in the same inequalities with regard to those
becoming lecturers and teachers, major participants in the
economy and so forth.
 A number of universities including CUT have M and D
programmes. But, all these will always be sub-optimal. Again,
a national or even a regional or continental approach is
required. 24

25. RSA nationals vs SADC nationals at PhD level
• “..so few South Africans were qualifying for doctoral degrees that a third of all
doctoral degrees awarded in SA were going to foreign students, most
from elsewhere in Africa”
• “Although 400 of the roughly 1300 PhDs awarded in 2007 are described as
“black African” … more than half of those were from other African
countries revealing the “illusion of transformation” and a chronic lack of black
South African academic achievers.”
• “South Africa’s cutting-edge African Institute for Mathematical Sciences
reported that only 10% of its graduates were South African, compared to a
target of at least 30%” Rowan Philp, Sunday Times. August 8, 2010
• Where will South Africa’s Master’s and PhD graduate growth in the short-
to-medium term come from?

26. Capacity to teach, research and innovate
at University
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27. Qualification distribution of
instructional/research professionals: masters
degree per University Type
• The number of instructional/research professionals with a Master’s degree is
higher by a large margin in traditional universities than other university types
and are mainly from the white population group.
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28. Qualification distribution of
instructional/research professionals: Doctoral
degree per university type
• Likewise, the number of instructional/research professionals with doctoral
degrees is significantly higher at universities compared to the other types of
tertiary institutions, and they are mainly from the white population group.
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29. Total headcount of RSA nationals: instructional/research staff
16000
0.3%
14000
12000
10000 CoU
UoT
8000
TU
6000 DU
Total
4000
2000
0
2006 2007 2008

30. Proportions of RSA nationals: instructional/research staff
12
10
8
CoU
6 UoT
TU
4 DU
2
0
2006 2007 2008

31. Total Headcount of non-RSA instructional/research staff
1400
1200
35%
1000
CoU
800
UoT
TU
600
DU
400 Total
200
0
2006 2007 2008

32. Growth in RSA vs non-RSA instructional/research staff
• Growth of RSA instructional/research staff was only 0.3% between 2006 and
2008.
• Meanwhile, growth of non-RSA staff has been a whopping 35%. This coupled
with less and less numbers of RSA nationals and increasing numbers of non-
RSA nationals getting RSA M/D degrees.
• Considering how bad our performance in Maths and Science is, and how
much slower the growth is of RSA nationals enrolled in SET, BCM and
Humanities, the future of RSA academe is in non-RSA nationals!
• At about 10% in 2008, TU’s are the best internationalised in terms of
instructional/research staff; followed by DU at just under 6%; then CoUs at just
over 4%; and UoTs at just under 4%

33. Conclusion
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34. Revelations about education
in South Africa
• Continuing historical disparities along racial and now lately class
lines.
• The difficulty of having a sustainable and adequate supply of well-
qualified high school graduates into higher education in the Free
State and South Africa in general.
• The integrity of the whole educational system is greatly
compromised on various fronts, including its ability to produce a
critical mass of graduates who could engage in research and
innovation, and thereby contributing towards socio-economic
development in South Africa.
• These things place SA in a vicious orbit of under-development,
poverty and general social strife.
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35. What is wrong? (1)
 South Africa has a relatively well-funded but inefficient education system.
 Inefficiencies appear to result from a plethora of problems, amongst others:
 Frequent policy changes - more especially curricular changes;
 A lack of political will and a shared vision;
 A dearth of top-class human capacity (e.g. highly motivated and qualified
teachers) to provide quality education;
 A lack of a coordinated effort to implement changes doggedly.
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36. What is wrong? (2)
 Amongst many other studies and reviews, most notably, the OECD
conducted a review of South African education policies and identified areas
of intervention and change [Reviews of National Policies for Education,
South Africa, 2008]. However, there is no clear implementation plan as yet.
 The areas to be improved as identified by the OECD are the following:
– Governance and financing of the system;
– Curriculum, learning materials and assessment;
– Early childhood education and adult education;
– Vocational educational training and human resource development;
– Inclusive education and equity;
– The teaching career and teacher education
– Higher education (amongst others, as a result of all of the above)
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37. What is to be done?
 South Africa must stop all new policy changes and endless experiments
and concentrate on implementing approaches that are most natural to its
environment;
 Based on the 2008 OECD report and other recent studies, South Africa
must produce a Marshall plan of action to overhaul its inefficient
education system;
 Such a plan must be devised through an open and transparent process
that involves all major stakeholders including teacher unions, in order to
allow for the plan’s organic growth and to ensure that a shared vision is
arrived at;
 There must be strong political will to implement the plan doggedly, 37
brooking no dissent from whatever quarter.

38. What is to be done? (2)
 Given the challenges in the quantity and quality of high school graduates,
universities have to find innovative ways of infusing remedial work into
programmes and perhaps extend diploma and degree programmes by
at least 6 months.
 Given the paucity of well qualified instructional and research staff, a
national, regional of continental programme for producing more
doctorates is urgently needed. Partnerships with other countries of the
world is needed in this area.
 South Africa in particular may have to consider opening the floodgates of
the best doctorates around the world, without our Home Affairs
department putting hurdles on the way.
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39. Part Two: CUT’s Strategic
Response
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40. CUT’s Strategic Response & intervention
initiatives
• In life there are those who make things happen, those who watch things
happen, and those who ask: What happened?
• CUT believes that we can make a contribution and a difference that will, by
means of the synergy created, positively impact on access and equity.
• We must not be so overwhelmed by our current situation that it paralyses us
and makes us believe that we are unable to make a significant contribution
and to bring about the desired change.
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41. CUT’s Educator Development and Mentorship
Programme as an intervention
 To this effect, an Educator Development and Mentorship Programme was
developed by CUT as an intervention and mentorship programme starting at
the foundation phase of learning (primary school level). This programme is
generously funded by Telkom, the South African telecommunications
company.
 Three schools have been identified by the Department of Education in the
Free State, and CUT will be offering mentors to teachers teaching English,
Mathematics, Science & Technology at these schools.
 This programme commenced on the 1st of October 2011, and we believe
that, by means of this programme, we will be making an investment in the
mentorship and education of the youth of our country – right from the start
when they enter primary school.
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42. CUT’s Saturday School Project
 For the past 8 years, CUT has conducted a Saturday School to Grade 11
and 12 learners in the Free State with the purpose of assisting them in
Science, Mathematics and English. This project has historically been funded
by Engen (a petroleum company) and now lately Old Mutual (an insurance
company)
 Of the 270 attendees at Grade 12 level in 2010 who come from selected
schools around the city, 194 went on to pass Grade 12;
 By means of this project we are making a significant contribution towards
increasing Grade 12 pass pass rates in our Province.
 We are also cultivating an interest in learners in science, engineering and
technology, and contributing significantly towards removing the fear of
pursuing these areas as study fields.
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43. CUT’s Winter and Spring School Project
 For two weeks in July and a week in September/October, we bring about
2500 Grade 12 learners from various schools in the Free State and give
them remedial classes in Mathematics, Science, English and Accounting.
This project is generously funded by Standard Bank
 Of the 270 attendees in 2010, 194 went on to pass Grade 12;
 By means of this project we are making a significant contribution towards
increasing Grade 12 pass pass rates in our Province.
 We are also cultivating an interest in learners in science, engineering and
technology, and contributing significantly towards removing the fear of
pursuing these areas as study fields.
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44. Research and Innovation-related strategic
interventions (1)
 Research and innovation interventions: Our Centre for Rapid Prototyping
and Manufacturing and the Science Park (modelled after Steinbeiss in
Germany) places technological expertise and skills at the disposal of the
community so that business/industry can use this knowledge in practice.
 As from 2006, CUT also boasts the Free State’s first Fabrication Laboratory
(FabLab), which provides a thriving incubator for local micro-businesses. The
FabLab helps entrepreneurs and other members of the community including
students to conceptualize, design, develop, fabricate and test almost anything.
44

45. Research and Innovation-related
strategic interventions (2)
 FS Regional Innovation Centre: This was established in 2010 and is geared
towards the following: The production of the region’s innovation strategy (a
foresight study); implementing some provincial government innovation projects;
the establishment of the region’s FS IT Hub, which has proceeded well; and
implementation of some of the recommendations from the OECD study of
2010.
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46. Research and Innovation-related
strategic interventions (3)
• In 2009, the SEDA Agriculture and Mining Tooling Incubator was
established through generous funding from the Department of Trade and
Industry’s Small Enterprise Development Agency.
• Since 2010, CUT has been a node for the Medical Research Council’s
National Medical Device Innovation Platform. CUT is the only UoT
involved in this national project alongside the University of Cape Town, the
University of Stellenbosch, the University of Pretoria & Nelson Mandela
Metropolitan University.
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47. CUT’s proposition
 At CUT, we are focused on stretching and expanding the boundaries of our
knowledge, innovation and technologies to support socio-economic
development in our region by means of various interventions, programmes
and services.
 This is not necessarily about high level technologies exclusively, but lo level
technologies too that are appropriate for the solutions we seek.
 We are interested in building long-term strategic partnerships with universities,
business and industry and communities that share our vision and are
committed to go beyond the conventional; partners who are always thinking
beyond!
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48. Thank You
www.cut.ac.za 48