South Africa finds itself at a critical juncture in both its economic growth and education system. In 2025, over 337,000 matriculants will qualify for university admission, yet only 202,000 spaces exist within the country’s 26 public universities.
Minister of Higher Education and Training, Nobuhle Nkabane, has openly acknowledged this crisis, emphasising that public universities simply lack the capacity to accommodate prospective incoming students, not to mention the 444,000 returning students.
This creates a growing challenge that cannot be ignored: South Africa must rethink how it expands access to higher education. This is not a theoretical issue; it has profound, generational consequences that will significantly impact long-term economic and social progress for the country.
We must recognise the far-reaching impact of this problem on four critical areas shaping our future: income inequality (South Africa is frequently cited as one of the most unequal countries in the world), social and economic stability, the pace of innovation and technological advancement, and the growth of our labour market.
At the heart of this challenge lies the issue of funding. South Africa is not alone in grappling with the complexities of funding higher education. Countries like the United States, where tuition fees are often supported by student loans, and France, where public universities rely heavily on state funding, face similar hurdles.
However, South Africa’s unique challenges are compounded by the high demand for education in a context marked by poverty and unemployment.
Despite these challenges, South Africa’s education system presents a unique opportunity for innovation and collaboration. With mounting government budget constraints, there is growing recognition of the need for diverse educational models that can complement traditional approaches.
These models must include effective private-public partnerships that leverage the strengths of both sectors to create a more robust and inclusive higher education system.
A Solution to the Triple Challenge
Solving our capacity challenges requires thinking differently about higher education. This is not a challenge that one public education institution or private organisation can solve alone, particularly when you consider South Africa’s triple challenge of poverty, inequality, and unemployment, all of which are intrinsically linked to the availability of accessible, quality education.
Instead, strong collaborations between public universities and private higher education institutions, such as Eduvos, will become increasingly essential. These partnerships are key to a new approach that places our national collective agenda at the centre of innovative education delivery.
By embracing this collaborative model, we can expand access to higher education, empower students from all backgrounds, and address critical challenges such as capacity constraints (currently, for example, there is capacity in the private sector to accommodate at least 100,000 students). This approach will also produce graduates who are better equipped for the workforce and foster long-term economic and societal growth.
Such partnerships could include, for instance, collaborative research initiatives between public universities and private institutions to drive advancements in critical fields like technology, medicine, and renewable energy. Or, as we already do at Eduvos, the creation of joint programs that allow students to begin their studies at a public institution and complete specialised modules at a private institution or vice-versa.
This model not only increases capacity but also improves the quality of education by combining the resources and expertise of both sectors.
While the government plays a crucial role in expanding access to higher education, private institutions can offer a complementary and high-quality solution. A blended partnership—combining the strengths of both private and public institutions—will be pivotal moving forward.
Private institutions already alleviate some of the strain on South Africa’s public universities and can do more, by offering affordable, flexible options for students. The qualifications offered are recognised on an equal footing with those from public institutions by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
The Future of South Africa’s Higher Education System
The future of South Africa’s higher education system depends on recognising private higher education institutions as highly credible alternatives to public universities and on the successful collaboration of public and private institutions. This partnership will help meet the growing demand for higher education without overburdening the state, which faces multiple competing priorities.
As the government continues to explore ways to fund education, private institutions can help share the burden by offering more flexible, affordable learning options. This will expand access, enhance the variety of degree programmes designed for the future of work, and accelerate the nation’s footprint in education.
Ultimately, it’s only through collaboration that we can create a higher education system that is sustainable and truly beneficial to all. South Africa’s higher education system must evolve to meet both its current needs and the accelerated demand of future generations.
This will require innovative thinking, strategic collaboration, and a willingness to embrace both public and private education delivery. In this regard, public-private partnerships, with the national good at their heart, are crucial — and institutions like ours are ready to play their part in this transformation.
