An investigation into the extent to which the National Senior Certificate equips university finance students with required skills

Annelie Oosthuizen,Riëtte Eiselen

doi:10.4102/jef.v4i1.333

Abstract

Higher education institutions have an obligation to provide graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills to enter the workforce and contribute effectively to the financial and economic development of the country. After 1994, the South African educational system was redesigned. One of the major events in this process was the replacement of the Senior Certificate (NATED 550) by the National Senior Certificate, awarded for the first time in 2008. Questions have been raised as to whether the National Senior Certificate curriculum prepares learners adequately for success in university studies. The purpose of the exploratory research reported on in this article was to investigate the perceptions of students on the skills acquired in the National Senior Certificate, as well as the skills required to succeed in their university studies. The study was conducted amongst the first-year B.Com (Finance) students during the 2009 academic year at a South African higher education institution. The results of the study indicate that these students felt that they lacked some of the critical skills required for academic success at university.

Highlights

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have an obligation to provide graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills required for success in the world of work and who can contribute effectively to the financial and economic development of the country
The foresight of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) curriculum designers should be commended, especially in view of the fact that the largest percentage of students indicated that the skills that the subject Life Orientation aimed to acquire are perceived to be amongst the most important skills required for academic success at university
The results of this article provide an understanding of the implications and challenges for HEIs in South Africa (SA), resulting from the implementation of the NSC

Summary

Introduction

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have an obligation to provide graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills required for success in the world of work and who can contribute effectively to the financial and economic development of the country. One of the major events in this process was the replacement of the Senior Certificate (NATED 550) by the National Senior Certificate (NSC), awarded for the first time in 2008. According to the popular press, this event has resulted in associated “shocks” experienced in SA HEIs from 2009 (Mail & Guardian, 25 June 2009; Cape Times, 7 July 2009). Questions have been raised as to whether the NSC curriculum adequately prepares learners for success in university studies and whether HEIs can adapt and add value to the ‘products’ of the NSC (Bitzer, 2009:226)

Objectives

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion