Thank you, Chair. On the day Minister Nzimande launched the third version of the National Skills Development Strategy in January this year, 2011, a journalist asked him what his views were on the UJ phenomenon. The journalist referred to thousands of prospective students who queued during that week to register at the University of Johannesburg and the many problems they encountered in doing so. Minister Nzimande's simplistic answer was: "It is a wonderful problem!" Wonderful that many more students than were expected wanted to enrol at this university. This phenomenon also occurred at various other universities. The Minister's answer was evasive and amounted to a contradiction in terms. It is absurd to describe this dilemma as "wonderful". The problems which the majority of these students fell victim to are the following.
Firstly, as a result of the unrealistic increase in the matric pass rate, approximately 17 000 more learners than in 2009 passed with university entrance. Thousands flocked to campuses for late registration, but were confronted with the harsh reality that our universities are bursting at the seams and that a pass with university entrance is not a guarantee for admission. Secondly, educationists are questioning the low passing requirements. A Grade 12 learner can get a matric pass by obtaining merely 30% in three subjects and 40% in another three. Lastly, universities are doubtful of the quality of the matric pass. Benchmark tests indicate that many first-year students need additional support.
This phenomenon of the queuing of hopeful students soon to be disillusioned is a huge problem. The Citizen concisely described this dilemma in a banner headline as a "Queue for Nix". The Minister described it as a "wonderful problem". The broader background of this problem is that President Zuma announced a target of 175 000 Grade 12 passes with university entrance for 2014, being approximately 50 000 more than last year's figure. Our universities are currently functioning at maximum capacity and their staff component is ageing. Should the tendency of the overcrowding of universities by a growing number of school leavers with doubtful abilities continue, it would inevitably result in the lowering of standards and the destabilisation of the university sector. How could anyone describe this alarming state of affairs as "a wonderful problem"?
When the majority of first-year applicants were turned down in January, due to limited space, certain unions accused universities of slamming the door on hopeful students by raising their admission criteria. These unions are, in fact, expecting universities to respond to the call of massification. Anyone who is truly concerned about the future of tertiary education in our country should be disturbed by the University of Johannesburg phenomenon.
However, Mr Nzimande did recently announce a 56% increase in the number of post-school learning opportunities for 2011.