Higher education minister Buti Manamela has approved the enrolment planning targets for public universities for the 2026-2030 academic cycle, setting the tone for a more stable and predictable higher education system.
The Ministerial Statement on Student Enrolment Planning, signed off on November 10, outlines student intake, graduation and staffing targets for all 26 public universities. The funding period attached to the plan will extend through to 2032/33.
The plan follows “an extensive national planning process” led by the department of higher education and training, which included:
- bilateral engagements with each university;
- a national enrolment planning workshop held in November 2024; and
- submissions of council-approved plans from each institution.
According to the approved targets, total university enrolments are expected to grow from just over 1.07-million in 2023 to 1.18-million by 2030, an annual increase of 1.5%. First-time entering undergraduate enrolments will rise by 1.8% each year, with improvements also planned in graduation rates, postgraduate output and staffing qualifications.
“The enrolment plan provides much-needed stability and predictability for our system. But we must also be honest: at the current rate, we are unlikely to meet the full scope of our national development plan (NDP) targets by 2030. This is not a moment to sit back, it is a call to act,” said Manamela.
While welcoming the progress, the minister cautioned the pace of growth may not be enough to meet the broader NDP goals, particularly in science and engineering, teacher education and scarce skills development.
We are committed to a more articulated, integrated and responsive PSET system. This means growing our TVET and community college enrolments, improving quality and relevance and expanding our digital, work-integrated and occupational training pathways. The shifts may and should inform future revisions of university enrolment targets
— Buti Manamela, higher education minister
Manamela said the plan should not be seen as final, but rather as a “baseline from which to re-engineer the post-school education and training (PSET) system.
“We are committed to a more articulated, integrated and responsive PSET system. This means growing our TVET and community college enrolments, improving quality and relevance and expanding our digital, work-integrated and occupational training pathways. The shifts may and should inform future revisions of university enrolment targets.”
To achieve this, the department is working on several initiatives, including:
- developing a skills for growth compact with industry and other government departments;
- Revising the programme qualification mix to align with national priorities and;
- strengthening articulation pathways between TVETs, community colleges and universities.
Other plans include:
- expanding distance and blended learning to improve access; and
- ongoing engagements with the department of basic education to boost participation in the Stem subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths), particularly mathematics, to strengthen the higher education pipeline.
The approved ministerial statement will be sent to all public universities with institution-specific targets and expectations. Universities will be required to confirm these with their councils and align their performance plans accordingly.
The department will monitor progress annually and make adjustments as needed based on policy, budget and system performance reviews.
TimesLIVE
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