Good statement. But the fight against the inflation of admission points by universities should not be outsourced. It must be fought directly by SASCO in universities as part of its programme to expand access. Grandstanding and pointing fingers at the department of higher education and training does not make sense and in many ways it is useless to the course. SASCO should remember the battles we lost when the higher education act was passed in the mid-1990s where the so-called institutional autonomy was granted to institutions of learning. The result cannot indeed be blamed to the newly formed department of higher education and training. Instead of watching as SASCO alleges, the position and activism of the department of higher education is well known on the admission points system, which even differ from one institution to another. The constrains from the so-called institutional autonomy to the department are also known.
Actually it would be interesting that SASCO tells us what it is doing to fight the whole mode of operation of the admission points system. Instead SASCO is telling us the further education and training must be improved so it can be the first option for students who don't meet the admission points as set out by universities. This implies certain contradictions in SASCO's approach. First is acceptance of the admission point system which, when a student does not meet can have further education institutions as the first option. Second, how come does the first option exercised after one does not meet the admission points as set by a university? Clearly that's not first option. First option in that case in university, then further education comes in when, as SASCO says, a student does not meet the admission points requirements as set out by a university. That means, in material terms, further education and training colleges become, when SASCO's statement is taken in material meaning, a second option. The fight against unreasonable admission points system, and if need be the whole mode of operation of admission points system, must be fought in campuses, by SASCO playing its role, and not outsourced, and be fought in campuses by YCL and YL, by the entire PYA, mobilising students as a motive force. This will strengthen the efforts by the department of higher education and training to deal with the problem. It does not make sense, and I agree with the department, that after qualifying for a bachelor enrolment in matric results a student is still prevented entry to universities by admission points that are set at different levels from one institution to another for same courses. In conclusion most particularly SASCO must fight for the reversal or limitation of the so-called institutional autonomy. The YCL and YL must be part of that fight. Victory in that regard will create a greater enabling environment for the higher education and training department on behalf of government and the people to intervene ensuring access and protecting the rights of students, among others, when violated or unfairly handled by institutions, both further and higher education. Lastly, in future we must discuss the place of further education programmes in NQF and the talk of students who passed matric with bachelor to be showed further education colleges as whatever option, first or last. I'm of a view that further education colleges must be developed and capacitated to offer higher education certificates and diplomas (this will expand access). White Paper 4 (mid-1990s) on education agrees with this principle in as much as there is no reason in principle why higher learning institutions cannot offer further education programmes. Also, our qualifications must have vertical articulation, for example, higher education certificate must open doors to a higher education diploma while it open doors to a bachelor's degree and so on. Yours comradely, _____ From: [email protected] on behalf of Castro Ngobese Sent: Fri 1/6/2012 11:13 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [NUMSA Statement] SASCO Statement on 2011 Matric Results SASCO Statement on 2011 Matric Results 06 January 2012 The South African Students Congress (SASCO) welcomes the release of the 2011 Matric results, particularly the improvement of the pass rate by 2.4 percent to 70.2 percent. This owes to the countless efforts of the learners, teachers, families and the communities. Great things are indeed unfolding before our eyes, under the leadership of the ANC government even though there is still a long way to go. On Learners eligible for University entry and the FET Option SASCO is not happy at the fact that the number of students that are eligible to enter Universities has not significantly improved. Indeed there is a tiny improvement, but as an organisation we had hoped for more as this would be the primary indicator of whether our education system is maturing or not. As we welcome the improvement, it is sad that out of the 348.117 students that passed, only 84593 of them would be able to enter Universities. This presents a very serious challenge, considering the fact that institutions of higher learning perpetually inflate access points, in the watch of the Department of Higher Education and Training. We call on Universities to accept and register all those students who did not meet their requirements in bridging programmes. We call on the Department of Higher Education and Training to ensure that there is speedy improvement of the Further Education and Training Sector so that it can be a first option for the learners, particularly those who do not qualify in terms of the reactionary access points of institutions of Higher Learning. SASCO is against the turning away of students to the FET sector whereas its current condition is well known. To those who did not succeed this time The learners that did not succeed should not despair; this is just a momentary set-back which can be corrected through their efforts this year. We propose that they re-write their examinations and the Department of Basic Education must provide all the necessary support. Families and communities must also provide emotional support to these learners. On the IEB We reject with utter disdain the parallelism and the inherent undermine exercised by the so-called Independent Examinations Board (IEB) against the entire system of education as it unilaterally decides to release results of private institutions before the actual results are released. We view its actions as part of a general resistance to transformation by some conservative elements in society. We hope that this will be a wake-up call for the government to change the nature of operation of these institutions and radically introduce Free Compulsory Education where there will be equal opportunities for everyone regardless of background. On the opportunism of the DA We note the baseless and extremely opportunistic comments of the Democratic Alliance (DA), which seeks to accord the improvement in Western Cape entirely to itself. We should not be misled by this menace of our democratic gains whereas it knows that South Africa is a unitary state. What the DA deliberately fails to acknowledge is that the current results are a reflection of structural set-up of our economy as poverty and inequality in race and class are visible in them. The rural-urban divide is also highly observable in the pass rates as most urban areas come above rural areas and the results of the provinces are indicative of this. SASCO notes the disparities between metropolitan areas and rural ones, which is clearly demonstrated by the results. Beyond this, to us these results are a clear reflection of the excessive damage done by Colonialism of a Special Type in our country. For more information contact: Ngoako Selamolela - President, 071 875 2224, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Or Themba Masondo - Secretary General, 079 199 3421, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NUMSA Media Releases" group. 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