WEDNESDAY, 1.30PM:
ENROLMENTS at South African tertiary institutions have dropped some 21% this year compared to last year, with former “bush universities” worst hit, while student numbers at traditionally white universities actually rose over the same period.
The University of Zululand registered a 21% fall in registration, the University of the North an 18% drop, and the University of the Western Cape a fall of 15% this year.
In contrast, student numbers at both the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the University of Cape Town, rose slightly.
Among the reasons cited for the drop in enrolment is the migration of students from former black universities to historically white institutions, and the strict exclusion of students with fees in arrears during registration this year. Fewer matric passes and a high unemployment rate have also contributed to the fall in student numbers.
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