1. Portfolio Committee on University Registration and Enrolments in 2016
Department of
Higher Education and Training
Presentation to the
Portfolio Committee on
10 February 2016
University Registration and Enrolments in 2016

2. Overview
University Enrolment Planning and Spaces for First- time entering students in 2016
Status of Registrations as at 5 February 2016
Protests over the 2016 Registration Period
Ministerial Interventions to ensure stability
National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding for financially needy students in 2016
Central Applications Clearing House (CACH) 2016
Way Forward

3. Enrolment Planning Process
The Department negotiates enrolment targets with universities in cycles. The Ministerial Statement on Student Enrolment Planning 2014/15 to 2019/20 for Universities indicates targets for the system and individual institutions
This is a 6 year enrolment planning view, with a mid-term review, to encourage better integrated planning at universities
The mid-term review will take place from March to May Some of the targets may be adjusted in line with the current conditions (financial and infrastructure realities)
The following two slides show enrolment figures for: (1) number of First-Time Entering (FTEN) students; (2) total enrolments. In each slide the actual audited figures for the 2013 and 2014 academic years are given for comparison against the projected targets for the 2014 to 2016 academic years

4. First-Time Entering Students (2013 - 2016)
HEAD COUNT  
Actual (Audited)
Projected Target
2013
2014
2015
2016
Total FTEN
Engineering
13 904
14 794
15 653
15 792
16 517
Life and Physical Sciences
11 785
12 906
12 386
12 534
12 871
Animal and Human Health
8 344
8 367
10 110
11 040
11 341
Teacher Education
21 798
17 985
18 263
21 166
22 785

5. Life and Physical Sciences Animal and Human Health)
Total Enrolment ( )
HEADCOUNT
Actual (Audited)
Projected Target
2013
2014
2015
2016
Total enrolments
Engineering
73 518
73 945
71 714
73 147
75 300
Life and Physical Sciences
42 811
44 872
42 172
43 012
44 693
Animal and Human Health
44 046
42 988
44 779
48 250
49 570
Teacher Education
99 097

6. Registration in 2016
Registration closing dates vary across the system from 6 January 2016 to 18 March 2016 for first semester modules and year courses
Registrations are of 3 types: year courses, first semester and second semester
Individual headcount enrolments in the academic year can occur at different times in the year – therefore final preliminary registrations for the 2016 academic year will only be available in August 2016 and the audited data will be available in October 2017
Currently institutions have not yet finished registering and therefore the registration numbers are not yet available

7. Registration Challenges in 2016
Effects of the #FeesMustFall Campaign in Some institutions had deferred examinations from October / November 2015 to January 2016 and many institutions changed registration dates
Some institutions have experienced continued student and worker protests in 2016 where many are linked to demands to end outsourcing
Institutions affected by protests are: Wits, UP, UNISA, NWU, UFS, WSU (Butterworth), TUT and UniZulu
Wits, UP, UNISA and TUT had to get court interdicts to protect safety of the majority of students and staff as well as university property
Situation is being closely monitored

8. 2016 Protests
Wits University – student protests against academic and financial exclusions as part of the national #FeesMustFall campaign
UP – Students and Outsourcing of services (workers)
TUT – Students and Outsourcing of services (workers),
– Academic and Financial exclusions, and
– Registration fees
UNISA – Outsourcing of services (workers)
NWU – Registration fees (students)
UFS – Outsourcing of services (workers)
WSU – Registration fees
UniZulu – Outsourcing of services (workers)

9. Ministerial Interventions Stakeholder Engagement
Action
Objective/ Output
Timeline
SASCO
Meeting
Update stakeholders on interventions in the sector (additional funding);
Afford the structures and organisations to contribute to plans and preparations for 2016 academic year;
Discuss possible ways to ensure stability at universities and safeguarding of the registration process and academic agenda.
7 January 2016
Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA)
13 January 2016
Education Alliance organisations
19 January 2016
Student Formations

10. Ministerial Interventions Stakeholder Engagement
Action
Objective/ Output
Timeline
Student Representative Councils (SRCs)
Meeting
To inform students of the new developments and interventions by government on short-term and medium- to long-term funding challenges.
14 January 2016
University
Vice-Chancellor; Universities South Africa (USAf);
Council on Higher Education (CHE);
NSFAS
To discuss preparations and arrangements for the start of the new academic year, short-term funding solutions, and possible ways to safeguard the academic agenda.
20 January 2016

11. Interventions: Mass Communication
Stakeholder
Action
Objective/ Output
Timeline
2015 Grade 12 Learners & Parents
Press Conference
To congratulate and brief the 2015 Grade 12 learners as well as the country on Post-School Education and Training (PSET) opportunities, highlight current challenges and outline plans to deal with them.
11 January 2016
New and returning students, parents and the general public
Various interviews in the press, radio and TV (Minister; Deputy Minister; DG; DDG and Chief Directors)
To inform public about the recommendations of the Presidential Task Team report and plans to implement its recommendations; encourage students to register and the academic enterprise; affirm the right to protest but condemn violent and criminal behaviour.
On-going

12. Queries / Complaints (January)
Admissions: varied from delayed feedback from universities on whether students applications have been successful or unsuccessful; misunderstanding of provisional acceptance and firm offers; accepted students being informed that the programme is full (challenge linked to new funding available)
Academic – mainly complaints about academic exclusions; a few cases of administrative challenges that could be solved
Registrations - These mainly affected first year students who were accepted and upon registration the programmes were full
Funding - These were from both parents and students ranging from outstanding fees and debt; not having registration fees; outstanding debt accumulated from extended programme; complaints that universities were not heeding the call to allow all NSFAS qualifying students to register without payment

13. NSFAS Allocations

14. Presidential Task Team Recommendations
The short-term recommendations on funding include:
A short-term solution for the 0% fee increment (R2.3 billion)
Upfront fee and registration payments should be implemented across the system for those who can afford to pay (NSFAS qualifying students supported by government)
The NSFAS shortfall was quantified at R4.582 billion (R2.543 billion for NSFAS loans to 71 753 NSFAS qualifying students or underfunded over the 2013 to 2015 academic years to pay their university debt. R2.039 billion for loans to support unfunded continuing students in the 2016 academic year)
The President, after receiving the report, announced that government will reprioritise funding from the fiscus to make these amounts available. This has been confirmed by National Treasury

15. Communication to universities and students
NSFAS has communicated the process around additional funding to universities (continuing students)
Universities requested to allow FTEN students who qualify for NSFAS loans and have been offered a space, but are unfunded (in terms of the institutions 2016 original allocation) to register
Government in collaboration with other stakeholders will seek solutions to ensure that all these qualifying students are financially supported in 2016 and going forward
Universities were requested to submit lists of unfunded students who have qualified in terms of NSFAS Means Test and who were registered within 10 days of registration to NSFAS to determine the number of unfunded students and the quantum of additional funding required

16. Communication to universities and students
Higher education system is still reliant on student fees to provide affordable and quality education
Government and Universities South Africa have agreed to develop a regulatory framework to manage future university fee structures and increases across the system for implementation in the 2017 academic year. The CHE has been requested to lead the consultative process of developing the framework and advise the Minister
The NSFAS rules, particularly regarding continued funding for students initially supported, must be communicated and implemented uniformly across the sector (major challenge: DHET continues to receive reports that rules are not implemented)
All universities must communicate transparent student debt policies and have plans in place to deal with academically deserving students that will not deny students access.
A process to develop a new funding model under the leadership of the Chairperson of the NSFAS Board to provide loans for students that do not meet the NSFAS criteria

17. Communication to universities and students
All universities must communicate transparent student debt policies and have plans in place to deal with academically deserving students so that financially needy students not covered by NSFAS (the “missing middle”) are not denied access to higher education on financial grounds
All institutions must manage their enrolments (especially first year enrolments) in terms of the targets in the enrolment plan – over enrolment must be avoided
A process of developing a new funding model, under the leadership of the Chairperson of the NSFAS Board to provide loans for students that do not meet the NSFAS criteria, is underway (with a view, if legally possible, to Pilot it in the 2017 academic year for implementation in the 2018 academic year)

18. Presidential Commission
President Jacob Zuma has established a Commission to investigate the feasibility of making higher education and training fee-free in South Africa
This is interpreted as covering both university and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college students
The commission has been given 8 months to do its investigative work
The commission has a further two months to provide its report to the President with recommendations
Thereafter, the President will make his announcement on the decisions of government with respect to the issue of fees at universities and TVET colleges

19. Central Applications Clearing House (CACH)
In 2016, the CACH service opened on 5 January 2015 and will continue until the end of February. The service operates from Mondays to Sundays, 8am to 6pm
CACH is accessed via a toll-free number at or by sending an SMS with name and ID number to 49200
CACH is also accessible from the website:
The CACH toll-free service line provides five options:
Application support (CACH Centre)
Financial support (NSFAS Centre)
Career support (Career Development Centre)
Artisan support (NADSC Centre)
PSET support (DHET Centre)

20. Central Applications Clearing House (CACH)
The CACH service is now in its fourth year of operation
The service is growing consistently each year:
The 2013 placement ratio was 5% (i.e. 549 students)
The 2014 placement ratio was 21% (i.e students)
The 2015 placement ratio was 43% (i.e students)
The preliminary placement ratio for 2016 will be calculated in March after the service closes and confirmed after second semester intakes are finalised
The placement ratio is growing due to expanded and intensive interaction with all universities, TVET colleges and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and increased confidence in the system

21. CACH 2016 Progress to Date – 5 Feb 2016
As at this date, CACH Call Centre has handled calls compared to calls in 2015 (increase of 39.4% in calls)
The users of the service range from those who achieved a 24% average to those who achieved a 93% average for Grade 12 final examinations
A CACH Register is provided weekly to all universities, SETAs as well as TVET colleges – for possible matching with available spaces at the institution
The service has been expanded to allow a self-search functionality to public institutions in 2016.

22. CACH individual student captures (2013 to 2015)

23. Distribution by Gender in 2015

24. Distribution by Race in 2015

25. Endorsement levels in 2015

26. Institutions where students got admitted in 2015
19% at PHEI/ College
4% in a learnership
58% at universities
19% at TVET Colleges

27. How users heard about the service in 2015

28. CACH going forward
The CACH service must remain responsive to the needs of prospective applicants and institutions
The service experienced a significant increase in call volumes in 2016 compared to 2015 at this time
Use of the service is expected to grow again in 2017
The most important success indicator is the placement ratio. This ratio is expected to improve year on year as trusting relationships with institutions are formed through the provision of accurate and timely data
Department will continue to expand and enhance CACH as the prototype for the development of the full Central Application Service (CAS). The focus on supporting the full PSET through CACH will be further enhanced for the class of 2016 (to be implemented for the 2017 intake)

29. Way Forward
Apply Now! Campaign to assist in relaying message to prospective PSET students, that in future late applications will not be considered, will be implemented again in 2017
Better career advice in schools, linked to the Apply Now! Campaign and the Career Development Service operated by DHET
In 2017, CACH will focus on assisting students who have applied but have not been accepted into an institution of their choice and need to be re-directed to other PSET opportunities
The Enterprise Architecture for the full CAS and the IT system for the CAS will be finalised during 2016 for piloting in 2017/18

30. Thank you