Johannesburg- A week after the release of the matric results of the Class of 2021, the euphoria and anxiety have dissipated and replaced by the sobering reality of the options available for higher education and training in South Africa.
It is a nail-biting period even for some multiple-distinction achievers as universities finalise their admissions.
For the 256 031 matriculants who obtained bachelor passes, the top of the matric results pecking order, the limited spaces available at varsities expose the attention put on a university education and not the other options available.
This week, as universities ready themselves to start the new academic year, the figures provided by the institutions show that the number of applications continue to surpass the spaces available.
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) received 306 000 first-year applications this year but can only admit 10 500 students.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has 255 000 applications, which are competing for 10 000 spaces available.
Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) has 156 759 applications for first-year students so far, more than twice the number of students the entire university could accommodate in 2019.
“The late application process is still in process and we are still receiving more applications.
“TUT has very limited spaces in the faculty of science, faculty of engineering and the built environment, and the faculty of information and communication technology,” said spokesperson Phaphama Tshisikhawe, indicating that the number provided could be more once the application process closes.
One of South Africa’s youngest varsities, the University of Mpumalanga, has only 1 800 spots available, but has received 80 000 applications.
Wits University spokesperson Shirona Patel said the university made offers to 5 200 students from 86 643 applications.
“First-year students will commence their journey at Wits with the Gateway to Success programme, a compulsory three-week programme starting on February 7,” said Patel.
“Teaching and learning will commence on February 28 2022 in a blended mode. This means that some activities will take place on campus, including experiential learning and interactive learning and teaching sessions, while other activities, such as presentations, discussion forums and formative assessments may be conducted online,” she said.
According to the latest report on Statistics on Post-School Education and Training in South Africa, a total of 1 074 912 students were enrolled at the 26 public universities in 2019.
The report, compiled by the Department of Higher Education and Training, shows that four universities accounted for the highest number of students enrolled through contact mode.
These are TUT with 66 552 students, UJ with 50 064, UKZN 49 512 and the University of Pretoria with 48 943.
The University of South Africa accounted for 92.4% of students who enrolled through distance education in 2019.
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