Aspects of student equity and higher education in South Africa

Abstract

Badat (2004, 4) refers to the triple challenge facing higher education: to promote equity and growth within a democratic framework and to consolidate a fledgling democracy.
In higher education there is inherent tension between growth (access to education) and
equity. The article argues that the vagueness in which the term “equity” is generally
used as a synonym for “equality” contributes to an over-simplification of relevant
issues. It also argues that the common practice of describing equity almost exclusively
in quantitative terms (such as enrolment figures) detracts from important issues like the
quality of the educational process, accountability and even outcomes. It explores other
possibilities of conceptualising and reporting on equity.

South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 22 (4) 2008: pp. 773-788