Funding Principles for Distance Higher Education in South Africa Presentation to Nadeosa Workshop June 2011 Jennifer Glennie

Rationale: Review of Higher Education Funding Ministerial task team established under chairmanship of Cyril Ramaphosa but has not yet met Meanwhile draft distance education policy required by end July, 2011 Hence ‘Funding Principles for distance higher education’ required to feed into the task team

Context: Higher Education and Post Schooling – the need for growth  In 2009, with headcount enrolments, public higher education participation rate was 16/17% - national plan aimed at 20% by 2015  In 2009, public FET Colleges had headcount enrolments– about half higher education!  2.8 million (or 41.6%) of18 to 24 year-olds in 2007 not in employment nor education and training – 2 million of these have less than Senior Certificate – have SC without ‘university exemption ’

Context: Prevalence of Distance Education - Headcount enrolments: 2000 to 2009

Context: Distance Education in South Africa - Changes 2000 to 2009  FTEs (Full-time equivalent students) – Science, eng. & tech:12% to 11% of national provision – Business/management: 35% to 34% – Education: 66% to 54% – Other humanities: 35% to 30% – Total: 31% to 28%  Graduates/diplomates – 29% to 25% of total, with Unisa providing 15.6% in 2009

Context: Distance Education in South Africa - Providers: 2001 to 2009 Provider2001 distance headcount as % of whole 2009 distance headcount as % of whole Unisa NW Pretoria KZN NMMU Free State Tshwane

Roles of Distance Education  Can accommodate students who are unable frequently to attend fixed classes at a centralised venue – especially more marginalised groups and lifelong learners  Has the potential to be more cost-effective  Can more easily accommodate large numbers  Using ICTs, can provide for very low enrolment national programmes  Can produce quality learning resources for the system as a whole

Expanding Higher Education  Must be premised on increasingly cost-effective provision  This includes the necessity to couple access with a reasonable chance of success – not only for module but also for graduation

Some Policy Issues in Distance Education  Should distance education constitute more or less than the 38% headcount enrolment it currently enjoys?  Under what conditions should providers be ‘allowed’/encouraged to offer and/or expand distance education programmes to ensure quality?

Some Policy Issues in Distance Education  How could distance education contribute to the need to expand the post-schooling system? – an ‘FET’ national college linked to existing institutions and the new HEIs in NC and Mpumalanga?  How can policy support higher distance education utilise ICTs to the benefit of all potential students?  How can policy support the development and utilisation of OER?

Some Policy Issues in Distance Education  Should it be funded differently from face-to- face? If so, how does one define distance education precisely enough to differentiate it from contact  On % of notional learning hours in ‘contact’ or ‘contact equivalent’ sessions’?  On % of time expected to be on-campus? If not, how does one retain the notion of cost- effectiveness?

Possible Funding Principles for Distance Education  Parity of funding for distance education and contact for teaching outputs  Reward for any contribution to teaching output  Greater weighting for teaching outputs  Parity of funding for teaching inputs at Masters and Doctoral level  Acceptance that emerging distance education models of provision are more expensive than the traditional correspondence model

Possible Funding Principles for Distance Education  Input subsidy adjusted accordingly (grid developed for different types of offerings on basis of empirical evidence)  Input subsidy available on basis of meaningful student activity – with adjustment of census dates as necessary  Initial national investment required for ICT infra- structure for higher education in 21 century

Possible Funding Principles for Distance Education  Ring-fenced financial support required for collaborative development of high quality curricula and associated OER which address identified national priority needs  Commitment to student financial aid regardless of mode of delivery

Contributions most welcome! Thank you