Though South Africa has been ranked as the African nation with the best higher education system‚ its results in the new survey did not achieve a convincing university pass.

Higher education analysts Quacquarelli Symonds’ (QS) 2016 Higher Education System Strength rankings‚ which measure the best national environments for higher education institutions‚ were released on Wednesday.

South Africa is the only African nation to be placed in the published rankings of the 50 best performing countries‚ coming in at 30 with a score of just 47.1%.

The top-scoring country‚ the USA‚ achieved a score of 100% and the lowest‚ Pakistan‚ scored 9.2%.

The rankings measure academic performance alongside other metrics to assess strengths and weaknesses of a country’s higher education environment‚ looking at quality and accessibility of the higher education system as well as academic performance.

This announcement comes in a month that has seen disruptions and the indefinite suspension of classes at the Vaal University of Technology and the University of Johannesburg’s Sanlam Auditorium burned down‚ allegedly after being fire-bombed by protesting students.

Student bodies at campuses across the country have protested against fees‚ university management and policies this past year.

Students at the University of Fort Hare are protesting during its centenary celebrations.

The Daily Dispatch reported that protesters gathered at the Student Centre on Tuesday to hand over a memorandum to management‚ demanding the release of funds for meal allowances amongst other issues.