On 18 January 2024, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) announced that the grade 12 class of 203 achieved a matric pass rate of 82.9%. The minister of basic education also revealed that the class of 2023 achieved 282,894 Bachelor passes.
All the candidates who achieved a bachelor's pass qualified for admission to a Bachelor's Degree programme offered by South Africa’s public universities. However, the release date of the matric results is not ideal for institutions of higher learning.
During a recent meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, it was revealed that the delayed release of National Senior Certificate (NSC) results significantly impacted the start of the academic year for all institutions. They say this necessitates urgent engagement with the DBE and quality assurance body Umalusi to explore the possibility of earlier result releases in the future.
It was reported that all institutions had to adapt their admissions processes to accommodate the delayed release of results.
There's a continuous rise in demand for university placements across the sector, driven by an increasing number of eligible students. However, the limited availability of spots and challenges in finalising admissions, for various reasons, cause significant anxiety for prospective students and their families while also putting pressure on institutions.
Universities have been encouraged to utilise the Central Application Clearing House (CACH), where applicants seeking assistance from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) are placed.
Another issue concerns students with outstanding debt, particularly those who fund their own education and need to settle their accounts before being allowed to register.
Universities have shared with Department officials the concessions approved by their councils to assist some students in this regard.
The DHET has requested and received information on registration extensions to determine whether universities have made arrangements to accommodate students facing various challenges and which programmes still have space for Full-Time Entering (FTEN) students.
Related Articles: How To Renew Your Driver Licence
