News & Views item - April 2006

 

 

South Africa Addresses Need for Higher Education Reform. (April 20, 2006)

   

    As part of the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA) higher education institutions plan to increase admissions to the sciences to meet the country's development needs, a joint working group on higher education said in Pretoria on Wednesday. But that is to be at the expense of places for students in the humanities and social sciences.

 

The group met with President Thabo Mbeki to discuss "challenges" facing higher education institutions, and Education Minister Naledi Pandor confirmed that institutions of higher learning would increase the number places for science studies in an effort to bridge the skills gap in the country and contribute towards ASGISA.

 

University of South Africa Vice-Chancellor Barney Pityana emphasised there would be concentration on addressing the challenges in three areas: rebuilding and equipping tertiary institutions to make proper resources and infrastructure available; investigating the sector's regulatory framework; and working towards building confidence in South Africa's higher education.
 

He later told the media, "We are happy that we are engaging with government, we can see clearly where we are taking the level of education to. After the Deputy President discussed with us how we could contribute towards skills development, there are many initiatives we are prepared to participate in."

 

But the communiqué following the meeting also noted that the "Treasury was reviewing financial allocations to higher learning institutions as students generally complained about lack of access to finance."

 

A status report is to be made before the end of July and is to include practical responses to the challenges.

"The issues are being acknowledged and receiving attention. It is really going to the heart of receiving a higher education in this country which will be capable of responding to the challenges it [South Africa] faces," said Professor Pityana.

 

It'll be interesting to follow progress to see whether or not the South African Government will go beyond committees and rhetoric.