A few days after the province celebrated its record-breaking matric pass rate of 81.4%, the matric class of 2023 face a new obstacle.
The province’s universities cannot accommodate the majority who have passed.
They have already received more than half a million applications but can only accommodate 20,077 new students in 2024. The applications are not limited to the current crop of matriculants or applicants from the Eastern Cape.
This means many, despite their improved results qualifying them for a spot in university, are set to lose out.
The Eastern Cape recorded an increase of 2.8 percentage points in bachelor passes, from 36.8% in 2022 to 39.6% in 2023.
In real terms, it means 37,898 of the 95,697 pupils obtained a bachelor pass in 2023.
In 2022, there were 34,974. The number of distinctions has also risen. It has moved from 15,745 in 2019 to 29,064 in 2023.
Year-on-year improvements have equally scaled up from 3.7% in 2022 to 4.2% in 2023.
But despite this, shortage of space means many stand to lose.
Walter Sisulu University, Nelson Mandela University, Rhodes University and University of Fort Hare have all confirmed that they will collectively accommodate 20,077 students.
WSU received 295,856 applications but could accept only 7,322, NMU received 94,793 but could only accept 7,270, UFH received 148,088 applications from first-time applicants but could only accept 3,685 and Rhodes received more than 20,000 but could accept 1,800 first-time students.
WSU spokesperson Yonela Tukwayo said they were experienced a surge in first-time applications for the current academic year.
“WSU has received an astounding 295,856 first-time applications, reflecting the enthusiasm and eagerness of prospective students to pursue higher education studies at WSU.
“However, it is important to note that, based on the applications received and in adherence to minimum requirements and prerequisites for admission, the university will only admit 7,322 first-time students,” Tukwayo said.
She said in an effort to maintain the integrity of the admissions process and ensure a conducive working and learning environment, WSU would not accept walk-in applications.
“As spaces become available for first-year admissions, prospective students must apply online.
“Furthermore, the possibility of opening late applications is slim due to the overwhelming number of applications already received.
“The university remains committed to a fair and transparent admission process, and late applications, if any, will be considered only if the quotas are not met for unforeseen reasons,” she said.
NMU spokesperson Debbie Derry said they received 94,793 undergraduate applications of first-time students but could accept only 7,270.
“The MBChB [medical degree] has 7,290 applications. The MBChB is a sought-after qualification not only in SA but across the world. One would probably find similar application numbers for the MBChB at other universities as well.
“The NMU MBChB programme is unique as the purpose is to ‘train caring, competent and committed primary healthcare-orientated, medical doctors who will work as members of inter-professional teams, to practice in holistic, culturally sensitive and comprehensive ways’.
“The medical school is well-placed and embedded within the community where our students learn as they serve,” she said.
Derry said they would not be accepting late applications since this closed on September 30 2023 for this year.
“Online registration for those students with firm offers opened on January 15 and will run until February 12.
“Assisted registration for first years in specific courses will run from February 5 to 9,” Derry said.
Rhodes spokesperson Christelle du Toit said they received more than 20,000 applications.
“For late applications, we will only know later in January,” she said.
UFH spokesperson JP Roodt said they had received 223,983 applications for the academic year 2024.
“From this figure, 148,088 applications were first-time-entering applicants for undergraduate studies where the institution can only admit 3,685 students,” he said.
Roodt said reserve applications were still open for bachelor of commerce and bachelor of science degrees.
He said registration commenced on January 22.
Former University of Free State vice-chancellor Jonathan Jansen said given the record number of bachelors passes, there was no way 26 universities around the country could absorb all, even if only 80% of them applied.
“Most of them would not get into universities anyway given wrong subject combinations.
“And many would not have the level of passing that would guarantee success in the first year.
“Options are TVET colleges, repeat subjects barely passed, take a year off and work,” he said.
While the space issue is a challenge, UFH seems to be faced with further problems.
The SRC leadership at the university says no registration will take place until they reach common ground with the management. The bone of contention is financial concessions.
“The SRC took a decision of declaring the registration as postponed because of the concession document that has not been discussed and finalised,” SRC president Aphelele Matinise said.
On Friday, university CFO Charles Matumba released a statement saying that a set of financial concessions had been agreed upon after a meeting with the SRC.
Matumba said they met the SRC on January 17 to discuss matters affecting the 2024 registration process.
“A set of financial concessions has been agreed upon. One of the major concessions agreed upon is the debt threshold,” he said.
Matumba said only students with no debt and who had paid their minimum initial payment of R3,500 would be allowed to register. Of those who owed UFH, their debt should be reduced to R30,000.
“We are confident that these concessions achieve a fine balance between providing for student access and success and at the same time safeguarding the university’s interests of financial sustainability,” he said.
Matumba said the ballooning student debt continued to weigh heavily on the university’s cash flow and required serious and sustainable measures to address the financial risk it posed.
Two days later, the SRC issued another statement saying: “We want to make it clear that we did not agree on the R30,000 threshold.
“We call on students to reject these lies, and we remain clear that registration will not proceed without the concessions,” Matinise said.
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