Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, Blade Nzimande hailed the significant advancements achieved in the higher education sector over the past 30 years. This includes the increase in students enrolling in the sector, increasing support for poor students and investment in infrastructure.
The Minister was speaking during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) Debate.
Nzimande began his speech by lauding the African National Congress (ANC) government's efforts to dismantle the legacies of colonialism and apartheid. These efforts include increasing access to higher education for historically disadvantaged groups.
The minister revealed that more than 2 million students enrolled in the post-school education and training (PSET) system by 2019 from an estimated 500,000 students in 1994.
In 1994, the number of enrolled students in our PSET system was 495 356. In 2013, this number more than doubled to 980,000 students. In 2019, the total number of enrolments at universities, TVET and Community Colleges stood at 2 129 522 students.
The minister highlighted the substantial increase in black student enrollments as well as an increase in women students.
Black university students increased from 49% in 1994 to 71% in 2021. In 2021, almost 1.3 million students enrolled in public and private higher education institutions. 60% of university students are now women.
NSFAS
Nzimande also hailed the impact of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in the sector. NSFAS has funded over 5 million students since its inception in 1991. In 2024, approximately one million students will benefit from NSFAS bursaries.
The financial aid scheme has also allocated R4.2 billion for 2024 to cover upfront payments for NSFAS students, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder access to education.
Addressing the challenge of the "Missing Middle," Nzimande unveiled a new loan scheme to support students from families with moderate incomes, offering an incentive for timely completion of studies through partial loan-to-bursary conversions.
Infrastructure Development
The minister also took the opportunity to speak about the improvement of the Infrastructure inspector. In 2020, it was announced that two new universities would be established in the country.
A University of Science and Innovation will be built in Ekurhuleni while a Crime Detection University will be established in Hammanskraal. The establishment of a university in Ekurhuleni is particularly important as it is the country’s only metropolitan area that does not have a university.
In 2025, the establishment of the Tshwane University of Technology, Giyani campus will open its doors for the first time to students in Limpopo.
There are also several infrastructure improvement projects at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. The Minister also emphasised efforts to expand Trade Test Centres, facilitating skill development and certification across the country.
Nzimande also acknowledged the existing challenges in the particularly in combating gender-based violence (GBV). He pledged ongoing efforts to address GBV through policy frameworks and awareness programmes.
The Minister concluded with a firm stance on international solidarity, condemning the violence in Gaza and expressing support for the Palestinian people. He criticised opposition parties, notably the Democratic Alliance (DA), for what he deemed as regressive stances on social justice issues.
