Abstract
In this article the authors explore the current state of higher education in South Africa in an attempt to locate the study within the current socio-economic and political imperatives driven by the knowledge economy and a changing global environment. The article is based largely on an examination of current education policy documents that address future developments in higher education in the South African context. The key aim is to understand the trajectory that higher education in South Africa is taking to help millions of young people in South Africa (including those who are currently excluded from sought-after fields of study and training institutions) access those opportunities that are available and, in the process, to promote equity and redress, quality, development, democratisation, academic freedom, institutional autonomy, effectiveness and efficiency, and public accountability. The authors acknowledge that great strides have been taken in the country to make higher education a reality for many young people. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n2p469
Highlights
Much has been achieved in South African higher education in terms of addressing the imbalances inherited from the past Apartheid regime
Redress and social equity are essential in view of the extreme racialisation and gendering of higher education that occurred under colonialism and apartheid, which bequeathed South Africa a predominantly white and male academic work force (Barnett 2000), and which still persist, with white completion rates being on average 50% higher than African rates (CHE 2013: 15)
Given that in 2008 there were 874 680 students at South African higher education institutions, 799 490 at public institutions and 75 190 at private institutions, what strategies are required from institutions of higher education to ensure that most of these students graduate in regulation time? A study conducted by Cloete (2009) shows that there were 640 166 students at further education and training colleges, 520 235 at public institutions and 147 901 at private institutions simultaneously and that 2 781 185 people between the ages of 18 and 24 were neither in employment, nor studying at education or training institutions in 2008
Summary
Much has been achieved in South African higher education in terms of addressing the imbalances inherited from the past Apartheid regime (segregationist government). Given the new and daunting demands for competitiveness fuelled by globalisation, internationalisation and technological advancements, as well as the need to attend to the local socio-economic, cultural and intellectual life of a rapidly changing society (Badat 2010: 5), new challenges are emerging for higher education in South Africa. There are demands to advance access to quality higher education, through equity and redress, quality, development, democratisation, academic freedom, institutional autonomy, effectiveness and efficiency, and public accountability (Badat 2010: 7) Added to these demands is the need to produce and retain a new generation of academics with the requisite pedagogical content knowledge, disciplinary knowledge, requisite skills and competencies so that they can contribute to the country’s political and knowledge economy and to changes in the future (Nzimande 2012: viii). In light of the above, the purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding of the challenges faced by South African higher education in the midst of the complex contradictory and countervailing forces of a developing society within a rapidly changing and competitive global context
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