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Government urged to do more to improve the standard of education in SA – survey

One sure way to reduce socio-economic inequity is through quality education that meets the economy’s needs. In 2011, the government released the National Development Plan (NDP) for 2030, a blueprint to guide the future development of South Africa.

Although not a panacea to all problems, the NDP has identified education as a central enabler. The NDP has set ambitious targets for higher education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in particular:

• Increase university science and maths entrants to 450 000;
• Increase graduation rates to more than 25% by 2030 – this involves a significant increase of graduates in STEM fields; and
• Produce more than 100 doctoral graduates per million per year by 2030 – most of these should be in STEM.

Good quality education at school and undergraduate levels will be required to support the government’s 2030 vision. World Bank-sponsored research supports this view noting that raising education and skills levels are crucial not only for increasing workforce productivity but also for enhancing the innovative capacity of the economy and facilitating the absorption and diffusion of new technology.

Although the government has made great strides toward achieving these goals, a recent survey, Student Confidence Index (SCI), conducted by Professional Provident Society (PPS), a financial services company focused exclusively on providing the right financial solutions to graduate professionals, reveals some challenges. Of the 3 304 students surveyed, 25% feel they were insufficiently prepared for higher education, while 43% of the students said that they had been moderately prepared.

The SCI survey was conducted among university students in South Africa to take heed of the voices of the next generation of professionals. The majority students show no confidence in the standard of higher education offered by South African universities when compared internationally. Only 20% of the students surveyed believe that local universities offer competitive education, which is on par with their international counterparts.

In recent years, the number of higher education institutions in South Africa has increased, particularly in the private sector. Previously disadvantaged South Africans have made significant progress in closing at least some of the educational attainment gap in the years since the end of apartheid.

Cognisant of the challenges in the education system and as a public benefit organisation for the advancement of future graduate professionals, PPS is committed to supporting the development of South Africa’s pipeline of professionals. Through the PPS Foundation, which is a registered Public Benefit Organisation, PPS provides several programmes aimed at arming students and young professionals with the necessary skills, tools and mechanisms to help address the critical skills gap.

The PPS Foundation’s initiatives include the University Support Programme, Bursary Programme, the Learned, Engaged, Accelerated Professionals Work-Readiness Programme and the Graduate Internship Development Programme are instrumental in the empowerment of youth. Resources are made available, and through partnering with like-minded individuals and organisations, young people are developed.  

Since 2018, the Foundation has awarded bursaries to 339 students, with the majority being students studying in the STEM fields. Of these, 82 have completed their degrees and graduated.

Built on the ethos of mutuality, PPS provides its members with financial planning, investment and insurance solutions that address their specialised needs. PPS encourages and supports future professionals through its university and bursary programmes. We believe that the next generation of graduate professionals is important for their critical role in shaping South Africa’s future. We continue to work with various stakeholders, including the government, to assist young people in having access to quality education.

 By Motshabi Nomvethe, Head of Technical Marketing at PPS

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About PPS

PPS boasts in excess of 150 000 members who enjoy access to a comprehensive suite of financial and healthcare products that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of graduate professionals.

PPS is the largest South African company of its kind, exclusively for graduate professionals, that still embraces an ethos of mutuality, which means that it exists solely for the benefit of its members. Thus, PPS members with qualifying products from PPS Insurance, PPS Investments, PPS Short-Term Insurance, PPS Health Professions Indemnity and Profmed share in the profits of PPS Insurance, PPS Investments, PPS Short-Term Insurance and PPS Healthcare Administrators via annual allocations to the unique PPS Profit-Share Account. PPS membership provides access to the following tried, tested and trusted products and services: PPS Life Insurance, PPS Short-Term Insurance, PPS Health Professions Indemnity, PPS Financial Advisory, PPS Investments and Profmed Medical Scheme. Visit www.pps.co.za for more information. PPS is a licensed insurer conducting life insurance business, a licensed controlling company and an authorised FSP.