Pandor concerned by high drop-out rate at SA universities

CAPE TOWN- Higher Education Minister Naledi Pandor expressed her concerns about the number of drop-outs at universities.

Pandor was responding to a report which called for an urgent need to address the problem at institutions of higher learning.

I’m concerned about the number of drop-outs. We’ve been measuring the number through cohort studies. The dropout rate is steadily decreasing for all qualifications. #sundaytimes #dropouts @ButiManamela @FabAcademic https://t.co/bGHUJ79Eok

— Naledi Pandor (@NalediPandor) May 28, 2018

According to the report, engineering student were the most drop outs, with half the students dropping out before their completion of their studies.

The minister acknowledged that the drop rate had improved but more needs to be done, “What you do see is there is some improvement but nevertheless, in certain undergraduate programmes, the drop-out rate continues to be very high. I think we need to do a lot of work,”

“I think we also need to be looking far more closely at the postgraduate level because we must have success throughout the programmes within our universities.

Pandor added, “There are fairly worrying levels of failure in non-traditional or critical programmes in the critical skills domain for South Africa, like engineering, medicine and so on… Support must be provided so that young people can succeed [in these fields].”

The biggest reasons for drop outs was fees and academic factors.