Varsities swamped

[dlk001]

The deluge of applications occurs even though there is a shortage of matriculants with good maths and science marks. The number of matrics who earned university passes increased from 136037 in 2012 to 171755 last year.
There are only 127827 places for first-year students at the 22 full-time universities.

35500 matriculants have tried to get into Wits University, which admits 5500 first-year students;

75000 people applied for one of 10500 first-year places at the University of Johannesburg;

16000 applied to Stellenbosch University, which has 5000 places;

More than 25000 applications were received by Port Elizabeth's Nelson Mandela University, which admits 5800 first-years;

40000 applied for one of 4000 places at the University of Western Cape;

27435 people applied to the University of Cape Town for one of 4200 places. Some 19838 of the applicants were matriculants;

16500 people applied for 6900 places at the University of the Free State; and

80000 people applied for one of 14000 places at the Tshwane University of Technology.

Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande has urged youngsters to enrol at Further Education and Training colleges to develop practical skills and become artisans. But Sharpe said an analysis of Adcorp recruitment data showed matriculants without an FET qualification were more likely to get a job than those with an FET college qualification.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2014/01/13/varsities-swamped

 

[ToxicBunny]

This is not surprising in the least...


Its been like this for years...

 

[McSack]

But ... but .... but ....

Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande on Thursday defended the 30% pass requirement for three out of six subjects needed to pass matric, saying young people would miss out on post-school education opportunities if it was raised.

 

[McSack]

Going to varsity and earning a degree is a privilege not a right as far as I'm concerned ... a privilege that one has to work for and earn ... not something one gets for sitting on one's @rse for 12 odd years and then demanding

 

[LazyLion]

Government is failing at developing education.

 

[Brawler]

What about unisa?

 

[R13...]

They really ought to do something about the alternatives like FET colleges which are a total shambles at the moment. Most of these students belong there doing a trade rather than trying to earn a degree or diploma they are just going to end up failing. Lowering the matric standard is the cause of this issue.

 

[Garson007]

Going to varsity and earning a degree is a privilege not a right as far as I'm concerned ... a privilege that one has to work for and earn ... not something one gets for sitting on one's @rse for 12 odd years and then demanding

Nonsense. Some degrees are easier than others. Some people are smarter than others. Some have good teachers. Hard work and 'earning' has nothing to do with it.

 

[Nicodeamus]

Sharpe said universities were not producing enough engineers, doctors and scientists.

"They are producing huge numbers [of graduates] in arts and social sciences, which are not needed in the workplace."

could have told you that as well, a BA might get you a job at steers if you're lucky.

 

[2026]

Well, the good news is that at least there is a swamped load of ex-students out there that know education is important and want to further that education with something better than what the government has to offer.

 

[Garson007]

And a BSc still doesn't net you a job. Science is the most overpublished and overrated degree choice.

 

[McSack]

Nonsense. Some degrees are easier than others. Some people are smarter than others. Some have good teachers. Hard work and 'earning' has nothing to do with it.

4Sure some degrees are easier than others, but that still doesn't mean they are "easy" if you only managed 30% at school. Seriously ... 30% means you didn't do much more than write your name at the top of the paper. If you are that lazy, or that stupid then varsity is not for you
[edit ... OK I suppose a lazy fsker with only 30% pass could maybe make it through one of those useless degrees .. but really what is the point then ? ]

 

[supersunbird]

4Sure some degrees are easier than others, but that still doesn't mean they are "easy" if you only managed 30% at school. Seriously ... 30% means you didn't do much more than write your name at the top of the paper. If you are that lazy, or that stupid then varsity is not for you
[edit ... OK I suppose a lazy fsker with only 30% pass could maybe make it through one of those useless degrees .. but really what is the point then ? ]

The 30% people do not get university admission... You do realise that?

 

[McSack]

And a BSc still doesn't net you a job. Science is the most overpublished and overrated degree choice.

I dunno about that ... I remember coming across a pretty intensive study towards the end of last year that had graduate unemployment rate pegged at around 6%. That's overall graduate unemployment (including the useless degrees)
You pass a BSc and you actively look for a job, I reckon your chances are really pretty good (as long as you accept that you will be starting in a junior position and you don't have any seriously weird anti-social habits)

 

[McSack]

The 30% people do not get university admission... You do realise that?

I understand that. I guess I may have got a bit overzealous defending my "varsity is a privilege not a right" post .
But in the context our the utterances of our esteemed minister of higher education .... ?

 

[Garson007]

The 30% people do not get university admission... You do realise that?

Exactly.

I however think it's unfair to have the university discriminate against people who didn't get A averages. Some people with a B average worked their arses off to get there. Other guys got a B even though they bunked half the classes and never studied. The second one will make a much better university student - he could at least potentially pass everything. What a kid got in school isn't a good reflection of what they will get at University. which is why as many as possible should be given the opportunity.

 

[DreamKing]

education for all .........


idiots.

 

[Garson007]

I dunno about that ... I remember coming across a pretty intensive study towards the end of last year that had graduate unemployment rate pegged at around 6%. That's overall graduate unemployment (including the useless degrees)
You pass a BSc and you actively look for a job, I reckon your chances are really pretty good (as long as you accept that you will be starting in a junior position and you don't have any seriously weird anti-social habits)

I have non-existing networking skills. It doesn't work out very well for me. Same thing happened to a lot of friends who studied science.

 

[McSack]

I have non-existing networking skills. It doesn't work out very well for me. Same thing happened to a lot of friends who studied science.

So are you all unemployed or just not employed in the field that you studied?
An example ... I've seen a fair number of BSC Applied Maths grads struggle to find positions related to their specific field.
Just my opinion , but I don't think there's much real advice out there for people trying to choose what they should study.

 

[AnibugZA]

But Sharpe said an analysis of Adcorp recruitment data showed matriculants without an FET qualification were more likely to get a job than those with an FET college qualification

If that isn't the most scathing indictment of the horrendous shambles that our FET colleges have become, then I don't know what is!