Presentation to HE&T Portfolio Committee

1. Presentation to HE&T Portfolio Committee Department of Higher Education & Training 29 January 2010

2. Content of presentation • The Policy Framework • Universities • Colleges • Brief report on the 2010 registration process • Progress with 2010 registration process • Challenges regarding registration • NSFAS • Update on upfront payments requested • Plans to improve throughput rate

3. UNIVERSITIES

4. Guiding Framework for Size and Shape of the System • Enrolment Planning and Teaching Input Subsidy • The HE system must contribute to national HRD and research priorities. • Need to increase the enrolment and graduate output of scarce and critical skills. • Enrolments must be matched to available resources, physical, human and financial. • Focus on improving graduation and success rates. • A differentiated approach to enrolment planning

5. Institutions manage admission • Point systems based on NSC results • Differentiated by institution and programme

7. Actual and Projected Enrolments

8. Public Investment in HE

9. Enrolment Trends by Field of Study

10. Graduates by Field of Study

11. COLLEGES

14. Student enrolment projections reflect • the Recapitalisation Grant investment per province and per college; • enrolment growth of between 43% and 46% is maintained; • throughput rate is improved to between 60% and 80%; • provinces make funding available to support student enrolment growth; • the infrastructure is used efficiently; • provinces continue to recapitalise colleges for infrastructure expansion.

15. Projected college enrolments, 2010

16. Projected Enrolments • Projections are provided, as the enrolment process is still in progress to be concluded on 19 February 2010 • The enrolment figures do not include the NSDSII Targets for which they must serve the SETAS to deliver on their SLAs • The HE programmes offered by colleges in collaboration with HE institutions are not included

17. Brief report on the 2010 registration process: Universities and Colleges • There is a Task Team that monitors registration in all institutions • Department has established three dedicated telephone lines wherein the public and students call in to enquire about available funding to higher education institutions • There are also consultations that take place in the Department on a daily basis • The Department also receives huge volumes of letters enquiring about funding and complaints related to academic exclusions and unfair treatment

18. Progress - 2010 registration process Minister met with the South African Union of Students (SAUS), and Higher Education South Africa (HESA), and SACPO Minister has visited DUT, UNIZUL and TUT to monitor and assess the registration process, meetings were also held with Management and SRC’s at these institutions. Further visits will take place 18 18

19. Monitoring Registration at Colleges • Colleges still a provincial function • Visits to all provinces underway (Gauteng, W Cape, N Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga complete) • Cabinet Memo March • Provincial Departments monitoring registration, cooperative relationship • Reports received from Colleges/ provinces where we are aware of difficulties

20. nsfas

21. Universities • In December 2009 all institutions received letters from NSFAS indicating the process for 2010 allocations containing the following information: • Maximum award size will be R47 000 and minimum will be R2000 • Institutions are expected to submit quarterly reports the first report to be submitted in August 2010 • All institutions were informed of the availability of funds to assist with registration payments • The application of the Means Test as required by the NSFAS policy • The establishment of financial aid committee s constituted by various stakeholders and SRC

22. The Department can report that the majority of institutions did establish Financial Aid Committees • A number of institutions have been slow in applying the NSFAS policy on upfront payments even for students who were NSFAS recipients in the previous year. • Only five institutions have made use of the upfront payment facility allocated by NSFAS and most institutions are indicating that they will submit their applications towards the end of February. • There are serious challenges of staffing for financial aid offices in most institutions

23. October 2006, Minister of Finance announced the allocation of college bursaries. • Rationale – provision of access to financially needy yet academically capable students into FET Colleges. • R600 million allocated over three years: • 2007 – R100 million (12 388 students benefitted) • 2008 – R200 million (37 790 students benefitted) • 2009 – R300 million (21 253 students benefitted until 30 July 2009, more expected to benefit by end Sept 09) • NSFAS – Administration & Management

24. Only South African Citizens are eligible for applying for the bursaries. Only students enrolled or wishing to enrol on NC(V) programmes are eligible to apply. Bursary allocations for Colleges are based on NC(V) enrolments, approved programmes & available funding. Student bursary award is based on the administration of the Means Test tool – as a guide.

25. Colleges make the final determination on which students are awarded bursaries. Student bursary awards based on financial need and academic performance. Students who are repeating an NC(V) Level are not eligible for a bursary. NSFAS processes & pays out bursary funds to colleges.

26. What the bursary may cover: • College fees • Textbooks • Academic levies • Accommodation • Travel

27. Department of Education • Allocation of bursary funds to colleges. • Monitoring and support of the administration and management of the bursary scheme. • Training of colleges on the administration and management of the bursary scheme. • Provincial Departments of Education • Monitor and support colleges in the administration & management of the bursary scheme. • Training workshops on the bursary scheme.

28. Colleges • Student Support Services Officer/Manager - responsible. • Bursary Committee – Approval processes. • Marketing the DoE FET Colleges Bursary Scheme to students. • Administering student applications. • Awarding/rejecting student applications. • Submission of SoPs to NSFAS. • Advising students (in writing) of the outcome of their applications. • Submission of annual NSFAS online reports.

29. Challenges regarding Financial Aid: Universities A number of Universities have been slow in applying the NSFAS policy on upfront payments even for students who were NSFAS recipients in the previous year. Only five institutions have made use of the upfront payment facility allocated by NSFAS and most institutions are indicating that they will submit their applications towards the end of February. Most institutions are experiencing accommodation problems as a result of the increase in numbers There are serious challenges of staffing for financial aid offices in most institutions Majority of institutions do not plan appropriately for registration i.e. Zululand Political student tensions continue to be a challenge for the institutions 29 29

30. Challenges cont.. • To date there are only two institutions where disruptions took place viz: DUT and TUT • At DUT the SRC complained about NSFAS arrangements for senior students and accommodation. The Ministry met with the SRC and encouraged them to continue their negotiations with students. • The reports received from Management indicated that most of the demands that were put by the SRC were resolved

31. Challenges cont.. • At TUT Soshanguve Campus registration was disrupted by PASMA owing to demands for a blanket registration of all students irrespective of the outstanding debts. • To date the campus is closed and LSRC has been suspended until February 2010, this follows serious infightings between SASCO and PASMA supporters. • Ministry and the Department did visit the University and after the assessment of the situation, the University was advised to take the above mentioned measures. • Pended registration will resume on Tuesday 2nd

32. NSFAS upfront payments for registration fees • 8 Dec 2009 – NSFAS letter to VCs re final NSFAS allocation & 20 Dec circular to all institutions • 30% of total institutional allocation is available for upfront payment for registration fees for students who cannot pay & who would normally qualify for a NSFAS award & are likely to be awarded a loan/ bursary • Univ to submit list of names & other details to NSFAS who will pay within 14 days • 29 Jan 2010 – DG letter emailed to all VCs in this regard • Acting DDG met with NSFAS to discuss monitoring • Daily updates received from NSFAS

33. Improving throughput

34. Plans to improve throughput rate at Universities • Three interventions employed: • Foundation programme funding • Teaching development funds • Funds for improving physical teaching facilities

35. Foundation Programmes • Foundation programmes extend standard curricula by one year of study. • Foundation funds are used to provide additional academic staff, and new teaching equipment. • In 2007/08-2009/10 total of R403 million was allocated to foundation programmes, for a total of 37 000 new undergraduate students. • In 2010/11 to 2011/12 total will be R517 million, for total of 48 000 new undergraduate students.

36. Foundation Programmes cont… • Foundation programmes extend standard curricula by one year of study. • Foundation funds are used to provide additional academic staff, and new teaching equipment. • In 2007/08-2009/10 total of R403 million was allocated to foundation programmes, for a total of 37 000 new undergraduate students. • In 2010/11 to 2011/12 total will be R517 million, for total of 48 000 new undergraduate students

37. Teaching Development Grants • Teaching development funds based at present on formula. This will be dropped from 2011/12. • New policy will make these ear-marked funds aimed at those identified courses which hamper throughput rates of disadvantaged students. • Funds available for this targeted teaching development will total R1 160 million in 2011/12 and 2012/13

38. Earmarked funds for improving teaching facilities • Improving throughput rates depends also on building new classrooms, and class labs, renovating existing ones, and purchasing new, up-to-date teaching equipment • In 2007/08 to 2009/10 a total of R 3 578 million in earmarked funds was allocated to universities, primarily for enhancing teaching services. • A further R3 200 million has been allocated for 2010/11 and 2011/12 for same purpose, but including provision for new and renovated student housing. Enhanced student housing is also essential to improving student throughput rates.

39. Plans to improve throughput rates – NC(V) • Qualification, programme and curriculum development • Centralised assessment, examinations and quality assurance systems • Lecturer training, development and support • Offering lecturer support informed largely by the analysis of the 2009 Exam results • DHET will continue to provide Academic support programmes for Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy to ensure year on year improvement • Selection and placement of students into appropriate programmes • Monitoring of student attendance for improved retention • Monitoring and support to colleges on the implementation of Student Support Services

40. Thank you