1 / 30

Department of Higher Education and Training Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on

Department of Higher Education and Training Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training 10 February 2016. University Registration and Enrolments in 2016. Overview. University Enrolment Planning and Spaces for First-time entering students in 2016

anitalara
Download Presentation

Department of Higher Education and Training Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Department of Higher Education and Training Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training 10 February 2016 University Registration and Enrolments in 2016

  2. Overview • University Enrolment Planning and Spaces for First-time entering students in 2016 • Status of Registrations as at 5 February 2016 • Protests over the 2016 Registration Period • Ministerial Interventions to ensure stability • National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding for financially needy students in 2016 • Central Applications Clearing House (CACH) 2016 • Way Forward

  3. Enrolment Planning Process • The Department negotiates enrolment targets with universities in cycles. The Ministerial Statement on Student Enrolment Planning 2014/15 to 2019/20 for Universities indicates targets for the system and individual institutions • This is a 6 year enrolment planning view, with a mid-term review, to encourage better integrated planning at universities • The mid-term review will take place from March to May 2016. Some of the targets may be adjusted in line with the current conditions (financial and infrastructure realities) • The following two slides show enrolment figures for: (1) number of First-Time Entering (FTEN) students; (2) total enrolments. In each slide the actual audited figures for the 2013 and 2014 academic years are given for comparison against the projected targets for the 2014 to 2016 academic years

  4. First-Time Entering Students (2013 - 2016)

  5. ) Total Enrolment (2013 - 2016)

  6. Registration in 2016 • Registration closing dates vary across the system from 6 January 2016 to 18 March 2016 for first semester modules and year courses • Registrations are of 3 types: year courses, first semester and second semester • Individual headcount enrolments in the academic year can occur at different times in the year – therefore final preliminary registrations for the 2016 academic year will only be available in August 2016 and the audited data will be available in October 2017 • Currently institutions have not yet finished registering and therefore the registration numbers are not yet available

  7. Registration Challenges in 2016 • Effects of the #FeesMustFall Campaign in 2015. Some institutions had deferred examinations from October / November 2015 to January 2016 and many institutions changed registration dates • Some institutions have experienced continued student and worker protests in 2016 where many are linked to demands to end outsourcing • Institutions affected by protests are: Wits, UP, UNISA, NWU, UFS, WSU (Butterworth), TUT and UniZulu • Wits, UP, UNISA and TUT had to get court interdicts to protect safety of the majority of students and staff as well as university property • Situation is being closely monitored

  8. 2016 Protests • Wits University – student protests against academic and financial exclusions as part of the national #FeesMustFall campaign • UP – Students and Outsourcing of services (workers) • TUT – Students and Outsourcing of services (workers), – Academic and Financial exclusions, and – Registration fees • UNISA – Outsourcing of services (workers) • NWU – Registration fees (students) • UFS – Outsourcing of services (workers) • WSU – Registration fees • UniZulu – Outsourcing of services (workers)

  9. Ministerial Interventions Stakeholder Engagement

  10. Ministerial Interventions Stakeholder Engagement

  11. Interventions: Mass Communication

  12. Queries / Complaints (January) Admissions: varied from delayed feedback from universities on whether students applications have been successful or unsuccessful; misunderstanding of provisional acceptance and firm offers; accepted students being informed that the programme is full (challenge linked to new funding available) Academic – mainly complaints about academic exclusions; a few cases of administrative challenges that could be solved Registrations - These mainly affected first year students who were accepted and upon registration the programmes were full Funding - These were from both parents and students ranging from outstanding fees and debt; not having registration fees; outstanding debt accumulated from extended programme; complaints that universities were not heeding the call to allow all NSFAS qualifying students to register without payment

  13. NSFAS Allocations

  14. Presidential Task Team Recommendations • The short-term recommendations on funding include: • A short-term solution for the 0% fee increment (R2.3 billion) • Upfront fee and registration payments should be implemented across the system for those who can afford to pay (NSFAS qualifying students supported by government) • The NSFAS shortfall was quantified at R4.582 billion (R2.543 billion for NSFAS loans to 71 753 NSFAS qualifying students or underfunded over the 2013 to 2015 academic years to pay their university debt. R2.039 billion for loans to support unfunded continuing students in the 2016 academic year) • The President, after receiving the report, announced that government will reprioritise funding from the fiscus to make these amounts available. This has been confirmed by National Treasury

  15. Communication to universities and students • NSFAS has communicated the process around additional funding to universities (continuing students) • Universities requested to allow FTEN students who qualify for NSFAS loans and have been offered a space, but are unfunded (in terms of the institutions 2016 original allocation) to register • Government in collaboration with other stakeholders will seek solutions to ensure that all these qualifying students are financially supported in 2016 and going forward • Universities were requested to submit lists of unfunded students who have qualified in terms of NSFAS Means Test and who were registered within 10 days of registration to NSFAS to determine the number of unfunded students and the quantum of additional funding required

  16. Communication to universities and students • Higher education system is still reliant on student fees to provide affordable and quality education • Government and Universities South Africa have agreed to develop a regulatory framework to manage future university fee structures and increases across the system for implementation in the 2017 academic year. The CHE has been requested to lead the consultative process of developing the framework and advise the Minister • The NSFAS rules, particularly regarding continued funding for students initially supported, must be communicated and implemented uniformly across the sector (major challenge: DHET continues to receive reports that rules are not implemented)

  17. Communication to universities and students • All universities must communicate transparent student debt policies and have plans in place to deal with academically deserving students so that financially needy students not covered by NSFAS (the “missing middle”) are not denied access to higher education on financial grounds • All institutions must manage their enrolments (especially first year enrolments) in terms of the targets in the enrolment plan – over enrolment must be avoided • A process of developing a new funding model, under the leadership of the Chairperson of the NSFAS Board to provide loans for students that do not meet the NSFAS criteria, is underway (with a view, if legally possible, to Pilot it in the 2017 academic year for implementation in the 2018 academic year)

  18. Presidential Commission • President Jacob Zuma has established a Commission to investigate the feasibility of making higher education and training fee-free in South Africa • This is interpreted as covering both university and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college students • The commission has been given 8 months to do its investigative work • The commission has a further two months to provide its report to the President with recommendations • Thereafter, the President will make his announcement on the decisions of government with respect to the issue of fees at universities and TVET colleges

  19. Central Applications Clearing House (CACH) • In 2016, the CACH service opened on 5 January 2015 and will continue until the end of February. The service operates from Mondays to Sundays, 8am to 6pm • CACH is accessed via a toll-free number at 0800 356 635or by sending an SMS with name and ID number to 49200 • CACH is also accessible from the website: http://cach.dhet.gov.za • The CACH toll-free service line provides five options: • Application support (CACH Centre) • Financial support (NSFAS Centre) • Career support (Career Development Centre) • Artisan support (NADSC Centre) • PSET support (DHET Centre)

  20. Central Applications Clearing House (CACH) • The CACH service is now in its fourth year of operation • The service is growing consistently each year: • The 2013 placement ratio was 5% (i.e. 549 students) • The 2014 placement ratio was 21% (i.e. 1 894 students) • The 2015 placement ratio was 43% (i.e. 6 039 students) • The preliminary placement ratio for 2016 will be calculated in March after the service closes and confirmed after second semester intakes are finalised • The placement ratio is growing due to expanded and intensive interaction with all universities, TVET colleges and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and increased confidence in the system

  21. CACH 2016 Progress to Date – 5 Feb 2016 • As at this date, CACH Call Centre has handled 37 354 calls compared to 26 799 calls in 2015 (increase of 39.4% in calls) • The users of the service range from those who achieved a 24% average to those who achieved a 93% average for Grade 12 final examinations • A CACH Register is provided weekly to all universities, SETAs as well as TVET colleges – for possible matching with available spaces at the institution • The service has been expanded to allow a self-search functionality to public institutions in 2016.

  22. CACH individual student captures (2013 to 2015)

  23. Distribution by Gender in 2015

  24. Distribution by Race in 2015

  25. Endorsement levels in 2015

  26. Institutions where students got admitted in 2015 19% at PHEI/ College 4% in a learnership 58% at universities 19% at TVET Colleges

  27. How users heard about the service in 2015

  28. CACH going forward • The CACH service must remain responsive to the needs of prospective applicants and institutions • The service experienced a significant increase in call volumes in 2016 compared to 2015 at this time • Use of the service is expected to grow again in 2017 • The most important success indicator is the placement ratio. This ratio is expected to improve year on year as trusting relationships with institutions are formed through the provision of accurate and timely data • Department will continue to expand and enhance CACH as the prototype for the development of the full Central Application Service (CAS). The focus on supporting the full PSET through CACH will be further enhanced for the class of 2016 (to be implemented for the 2017 intake)

  29. Way Forward • Apply Now! Campaign to assist in relaying message to prospective PSET students, that in future late applications will not be considered, will be implemented again in 2017 • Better career advice in schools, linked to the Apply Now! Campaign and the Career Development Service operated by DHET • In 2017, CACH will focus on assisting students who have applied but have not been accepted into an institution of their choice and need to be re-directed to other PSET opportunities • The Enterprise Architecture for the full CAS and the IT system for the CAS will be finalised during 2016 for piloting in 2017/18

  30. Thank you

More Related