{"id":29283,"date":"2025-09-16T11:01:59","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T09:01:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=29283"},"modified":"2026-03-12T09:51:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T07:51:00","slug":"only-half-of-matric-access-to-tertiary-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/only-half-of-matric-access-to-tertiary-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Only Half of Matric to Have Access To Tertiary Education as Manamela Pushes Skills Training"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela has warned that only half of the nearly one million matric pupils writing exams this year will secure spaces in tertiary institutions in 2026. He stressed that South Africa\u2019s future cannot rely solely on academic degrees but must also focus on hands-on skills that keep the economy running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ALSO READ: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/grade-12-accounting-past-papers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Grade 12 Exam Past Papers: Accounting (Free Download)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-preparation-for-2026-a-stretched-system\">Preparation for 2026: A Stretched System<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking in Pretoria, Manamela outlined how the Department of Higher Education and Training is preparing for the next academic year. The department is prioritising reliable funding, simple application processes, campus safety, and the smooth start of teaching and learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But pressure on the system is mounting. Universities, TVET colleges, CET colleges, and SETAs face growing demand as more young people pass matric each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe reality is that about 850,000 young people will be sitting for exams. If they all pass, the system can only absorb half,\u201d Manamela said. \u201cOver the next three months, we must find solutions for the other half. Some will look for jobs, some may take a gap year, and others will explore alternatives \u2014 but we need a plan for them. That\u2019s a massive question we must answer soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-3950105794\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-who-gets-in-the-numbers\">Who Gets In: The Numbers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2026, public universities will admit around 235,000 first-year students. TVET colleges will create roughly 170,000 spaces, while CET colleges will add another 120,000. Together, that makes 525,000 new admissions \u2014 just enough for half of the matric cohort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This leaves nearly half of successful learners without formal tertiary spaces. For Manamela, this cannot become a numbers game. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen progress in access, but dropout rates, especially in the first year, remain high. We\u2019re now pushing institutions to make throughput and success rates as transparent as matric results,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-beyond-degrees-the-urgency-for-skills-and-artisans\">Beyond Degrees: The Urgency for Skills and Artisans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Manamela drove home his point: South Africa needs artisans as much as it needs academics. \u201cUniversities will give us the professionals, but the future of the country is artisans, apprentices and people with skills who can bricklay, who can do plumbing and welding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>construction sector<\/strong> illustrates the problem. Demand is strong, but a shortage of skilled workers delays projects and drives up costs. By investing in technical training, the government hopes to <strong>create cheaper, faster routes to employment<\/strong> while easing the country\u2019s skills deficit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s where we need to go,\u201d Manamela said. \u201cIt\u2019s cheaper, and it gives young people a better chance of employment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Globally, economies with strong vocational bases adapt more quickly to industrial growth and infrastructure needs. South Africa, he argued, must catch up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-1694341527\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-funding-the-future-nsfas-at-a-crossroads\">Funding the Future: NSFAS at a Crossroads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Money remains the biggest barrier. Manamela confirmed that NSFAS applications for 2026 will open from 16 September to 15 November, warning there will be no extensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The department has reallocated R13.3 billion to plug the 2025 shortfall, unblocking registrations for 34,000 students and helping 15,000 with second-semester studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, NSFAS faces overwhelming demand. It requires R75 billion annually to keep pace with the number of eligible students, rising living costs, and broader eligibility rules. \u201cLater this year, we\u2019ll announce reforms for sustainable NSFAS funding,\u201d Manamela promised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-war-room-for-tertiary-education\">A \u201cWar Room\u201d for Tertiary Education<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To strengthen oversight, Manamela unveiled plans for a tertiary education war room. He promised swift decision-making rather than endless meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThrough the war room, we\u2019ll tackle NSFAS allowances, accreditation of student accommodation, exam certificate finalisation, and dispute resolution that otherwise disrupt learning,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The war room will also act as an early-warning system, flagging potential protests or disruptions before they spiral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-1439191557\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-it-matters-for-gauteng\">Why It Matters for Gauteng<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For Gauteng, South Africa\u2019s economic hub, education and skills shortages carry a heavy price. Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni need both graduates and artisans to sustain industries, services, and infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Civil society warns that ignoring the shortage of tertiary spaces will deepen inequality. But they also stress the need for a bigger pool of skilled workers in construction, energy, transport, and services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHIV, unemployment, crime \u2014 all of these link back to education and skills,\u201d said a Gauteng youth activist. \u201cIf we don\u2019t provide young people with real opportunities and practical training, we risk losing a generation to poverty and despair.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-turning-challenges-into-opportunities\">Turning Challenges Into Opportunities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Manamela\u2019s warning is sobering: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizen.co.za\/news\/south-africa\/education\/matrics-tertiary-higher-education-nsfas-manamela\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the higher education system<\/a> cannot absorb every matriculant. But his solution is equally clear \u2014 balance academic opportunities with artisan training and vocational pathways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The call is urgent: support local initiatives that expand hands-on training, encourage learners to explore vocational routes, and demand that the government deliver transparent funding and timely interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>South Africa\u2019s next generation of workers will not be judged only by degrees. They will be builders, designers, technicians, and innovators who can keep the economy moving. The challenge now is ensuring every young person leaves school with a pathway to contribute, succeed, and thrive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pretoria, Gauteng \u2013 Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela has warned that only half of the nearly one million matric pupils writing exams this year will secure spaces in tertiary institutions in 2026. He stressed that South Africa\u2019s future cannot rely solely on academic degrees but must also focus on hands-on skills that keep the economy running.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":29285,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"Pretoria, Gauteng \u2013 Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela has warned that only half of the nearly one million matric pupils writing exams this year will secure spaces in tertiary institutions in 2026. He stressed that South Africa\u2019s future cannot rely solely on academic degrees but must also focus on hands-on skills that keep the economy running.","footnotes":""},"categories":[1762],"tags":[4258,11214,6955],"class_list":{"0":"post-29283","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-education-education","8":"tag-gauteng-education","9":"tag-higher-education-south-africa","10":"tag-skills-development"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29283"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29292,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29283\/revisions\/29292"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}