No higher education or good jobs without ‘normal’ university matric pass

Abstract

In 2013, all post-school training courses – from colleges to universities, in both private and public sectors – were combined under the tattered umbrella of the Department of Higher Education and Training. SEAMUS NEEDHAM looks at the evidence on how this new system has helped young people to either find jobs or places in universities, and comes to a sobering and disappointing conclusion. Students without a ‘normal’ matric certificate have little or no chance of entry into higher education and are very unlikely to ever find a decent job. The author considers the policy implications of these findings.