We are meeting here today a few weeks before Grade 12 learners in our schooling system sit for their final Matric examinations. It is a period within the school calendar that we in the Post-School Education and Training system watch with a keen eye as we prepare to receive both those who succeed in their Matric examinations, as well as those who do not, into our Post School Education and Training (PSET) institutions. The PSET system includes Colleges, the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) Learnerships, Internships in public and private sector organisations as well as universities – both comprehensive and traditional ones.
1. The Apply Now! Khetha Campaign
In preparation for receiving new students into our system, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), in partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), embarked on the Apply Now! Khetha campaign in April 2012. The campaign is premised on the fact that not all learners in our schools are exposed to career guidance, which would enable them to understand what career options are available and how best to pursue their studies to get into their chosen career paths. The purpose of the campaign therefore is to create awareness of career options and application procedures for post-school education and training. Through the campaign, the Department sought to reach many of the learners between Grade 9–12 in the country’s 6000 public high schools, particularly those in historically disadvantaged areas, with relevant post-school information using various media platforms and information dissemination. The objectives of the campaign are to inform prospective students about PSET options – including career opportunities, minimum post-school entry requirements for pursuing those careers; and post-school institutions they could target to pursue those careers
Phase 1 of the Apply Now! Khetha campaign kicked off in May until August, with activities specifically targeted at learners through platforms that are popular with this type of target audience, which is generally the youth but specifically learners. Platforms of communication therefore include Face book, MixIt, SABC Television Education programmes and adverts. Phase 2 commenced in September, also focusing on Apply Now! Khetha campaign messages of calling on Matric Learners to apply on time. Phase 3 will commence towards the end of October. In this phase, the focus will be largely on managing late applications in a more coordinated manner to reduce the long queues that usually mark the beginning of a new academic year in our country.
To ensure that our core message, which is Apply Now! Make the right choice. Decide your future” reached the target audience the Department used the following platforms:
- Face book and MiXit under Social Media during Phase 1 (May to August)
- Commercial and Community Radio stations, where, in partnership with the SABC, the DHET launched the Khetha – make the right choice; decide your future, radio campaign. This has been broadcasting weekly from April in 10 of the country’s 11 official languages.
- Commercial and Community Television interviews in targeted Youth and general Current Affairs programmes as well as adverts between June and September.
- On-line Platforms included the SAQA-managed Career Advice Service Website which provides advice to learners between Grades 9-12; as well as a Toll-free telephone, email and an SMS (including a “Please Call Me”) line since April. The DHET Website which also provides information and links to relevant sites with information on the PSET options.
- A 3-minute clip with an Apply Now! message from the Deputy Minister was uploaded on YouTube in September.
- In the Print media Apply Now! Khetha Campaign adverts were placed in various national newspapers from the 15th to the 20th September, carrying valuable information and messages about the campaign, targeting Matric learners.
- A total of 650 000 Apply Now! Khetha Booklets have been produced for distribution to all public high schools in the country. Distribution to the targeted 6 000 public schools commenced on the 20th August and as of October 5th, the booklet has been delivered to 100% of the Eastern Cape schools; 99, 6% of the Free State; 98% of Gauteng; 98, 8% of KwaZulu-Natal; 98, 7% of Limpopo; 99, 4% of Mpumalanga; 94, 1% of the Northern Cape; 98, 3% of the North West and 100% of the Western Cape. A process of conducting a verification process by contacting a sample of the schools to validate the delivery report is underway. SAQA has managed this part of the campaign.
- Since February this year we have also made use of Career Advice Exhibitions in partnership with SAQA, DBE and NSFAS, where we targeted schools in historically disadvantaged areas. We have been to all nine provinces and have interacted with many of the Learners in most rural and township public school, providing them with information they need for their post-school career options.
2. Central Applications System
While excited about receiving a new cohort of students coming into the PSET institutions, the Department is also conscious of the challenges that go with seeking admission into the institutions of Higher Education and Training, especially in universities. To address the perennial problem of prospective students who only decide in January to start looking for places, and those who were not accepted at their initial institutions of choice, and decide to try getting admitted by other institutions, also in January, the DHET is setting up a Central Applications System (CAS) to manage all PSET applications. However, for the Matric learners looking for admission into Higher Education and Training institutions in 2013, the department will only be able to provide Phase 1 of the CAS, which will be referred to as the Clearing House. This initial phase has been developed to ensure that applications are better managed than in the past, and the number of walk-ins is decreased.
Once developed to its full application, the CAS service will facilitate better management of student enrolments within higher education and training institutions at a standardised cost.
The main purpose of the Clearing House will be to support and guide the 2012 Matric learners who wish to be admitted into HET institutions in 2013, but had not yet been accepted anywhere. It will assist Grade 12 learners who fulfil the minimum requirements for a Bachelor, Diploma or Certificate studies, but have not applied to any institutions. It will also provide support and guidance to those who were not accepted at the institutions they had applied to. The implementation of the Clearing House will be supported by the already established and working Career Advice call centre that is managed by SAQA.
The Career Advice call centre operates on a toll-free line (0860 111 673), SMS line (0722 045 056) that also accepts “Please Call Me” requests from learners and a website portal. It will provide electronic information to channel applicants to places that are still available within the Higher Education and Training institutions, while at the same time informing institutions of possible applicants that fulfil those institutions’ minimum admission requirements.
The Clearing House is targeting learners who were not successful during the application period this year and those who will only start looking for admission after receiving their final Grade 12 results, and discovering that they are eligible for higher education and training studies. These groups of students will be redirected through the Clearing House facility to a variety of educational spaces within the PSET system ranging from spaces still available at other Universities, to FET Colleges and Learnerships within the SETAs. The Clearing House is an attempt at better managing walk-ins, which will now be dealt with through an electronic system that can accommodate multiple applications; and communicate directly with the applicants.
The National Senior Certificate (NSC) database will be used as the basis for verifying the results of potential students still looking for places in PSET programmes. Supporting and raising awareness about the Clearing House facility will be a multi-media campaign whose messaging from the end of this month up to January, will also provide further information through mass communication media channels targeting prospective students, their parents and members of our communities.
A completed design of a fully functional CAS will be achieved during 2013, with a planned full implementation during 2014 for the 2015 cohort intake. The last phase of the project will be structured to enable and accommodate applications to private providers of higher education and training after discussing and reaching agreement with them.
The service will provide support to institutions that will ensure that their student management processes are conducted more effectively especially relating to the admissions process. The system will provide valuable planning information to the institutions, regions and the DHET. The most critical element for an application service such as envisaged is the need to integrate the various facets of the applications process to include an academic place of study, financial aid and student housing. These three application destinations will be synchronised and integrated under the CAS.
In 2013 (for 2014 admissions) this service will introduce a standardised application fee, as well as one closing date for all applications to Universities. This will be communicated to all stakeholders in due course. Once completed, the CAS will be a central system that will facilitate and improve the processing of applications of Grade 9-12 learners into the various options available within the PSET system.
3. Conclusion
In concluding, let me take this opportunity to wish all the Matric learners focus and success in their final examinations, and for those who do not make it, to know that there is a range of options available for further education and training, besides universities. From the DHET, we say: Apply Now! Make the right choice. Decide your Future! If you are still not sure, and want more information, talk to us through:
- 0800 87 22 22 / 0860 111 673
- SMS or send a “Please Call Me” to: 0722 045 056
- Face book: www.facebook.com/careerhelp or www.dhetfacebook.gov.za
- Twitter: www.twitter/nqfcareerhelp
- Mobile site: mobi.careerhelp.org.za
- Walk-in Service: 1067 Arcadia Street, Hatfield, Pretoria
