OPINION | Post-school education pathways require a serious rethink

As the academic year for universities and TVETs has started, the worrying issue is what happens to the cohort that failed matric or did not get the required grades for entering universities or did qualify but there is no space for them.

Most of these pupils are at risk of joining the Neets (not in education, employment or training) because of a lack of access to information and unstructured post-school progression from adult community education and training to TVETs and universities. For example, universities and TVETs benefit from NSFAS grants, yet adult community education requires learners, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds, to pay tuition fees and resources.

Little focus is given to those attempting to improve their grades outside basic education, such as adult community education and training. Universities and TVETs focus overshadow this system. Therefore, some pupils who may want to rewrite to improve their grades may not be aware of such services. The number of Neets is projected to rise in the first quarter of 2025.

The adult community education and training system is intended to extend access to education and training. First, it provides pupils with the opportunity to improve their National Senior Certificate (NSC) grades. These pupils either failed NSC and want to rewrite specific subjects or did not meet university entry marks.

Second, adult community education is tasked to provide education opportunities for those who did not complete the basic education programme formally by offering the amended senior certificate (ASC). The ASC is meant to be a year programme with at least six subjects.

The ASC enrolment only starts in August; however, most adult community education and training centres are unofficially enrolling them in January for the ASC, whereas in reality, the department of higher education & training enrolment is in August.

This opens a gap for some students to enrol in January and take exams in June, having had only six months of study instead of the 12 months the same year (pass rate). This is a key reason the ASC pass rate is lower than the NSC. It is unclear why the education system would want to enrol students in August to take the exam in June of the following year. What is expected of those students from January to July?

Lastly, the same adult community education and training provides accredited and non-formal skills programmes to communities. Compounding the problem is that adult community education has the least budget yet provides basic education exams (NSC and ASC) and department of higher education & training (AET level 4) exams.

The economic opportunities for individuals from underdeveloped areas, particularly rural regions, remain severely limited. This poses a national challenge, particularly for pupils who have failed matric and those seeking to enhance their grades, predominantly from historically disadvantaged communities. The enduring impact of the apartheid system, as acknowledged by the Human Resource Development Council of SA, underscores the need for alternative pathways in post-school education.

Despite the democratic breakthrough in 1994, the promise of addressing inequalities and poverty in SA remains unfulfilled. Recent statistics paint a stark picture, revealing an alarming expansion of inequality, further deepening the divide among the population. The education system, marked by the scars of apartheid, has struggled to make substantial progress. Challenges stemming from racial disparities, which persisted pre-democracy, continue to hinder equal access to a university education.

The persistent economic exclusion of individuals from underdeveloped areas necessitates a comprehensive re-evaluation of post-school education policies and initiatives, with a heightened focus on creating pathways for those historically marginalised by the legacies of apartheid.

Professors Ngoepe and Matli are Unisa academics