Why Students Choose Private Higher Education

It is indisputable that Higher Education is a key issue for South Africa. Not only are we faced with a scarcity of skilled labour, the basic education of many South Africans is still insufficient to ensure their place in higher education institutions. With 70% of school leavers unable to find employment, the need to increase access to higher education is imperative. Private education providers may hold part of the key to this dilemma. Are they up to the task? Can they train a new workforce for South Africa?

Through a survey of registered private higher educations institutions, I will attempt to shed some light on the true nature of the private higher education sector. This information has been gathered from the Department of Education’s official list of registered private higher education institutions, with additional information drawn from institutions’ websites and from the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) report on The State of Private Higher Education Institutions, as well as the research of Glenda Kruss and George Subotzky.

There are over 100 registered or provisionally registered private higher education institutions in South Africa. If we are to conduct a survey of these institutions, what pressing questions are we looking to answer?

* Is there Need for Private Higher Education?
* Do these Institutions Improve Access to Higher Education?
* What Kinds of Training are Offered?
* How Can Quality be Measured?
* How Can Students Finance Private Studies?
* What Should Prospective Students Do?
* Are Private Institutions Reponsive to Socio-Economic Needs?

Is there Need for Private Higher Education?

For many people the notion of tertiary education is inextricably linked to the idea of university or technikon. These well-established institutions with their formidable reputations are broadly considered to deliver quality education. Although highly regarded, these institutions have limited capacity and have been slow to respond to new challenges.

Since the 1990s the private education sector has grown considerably, both locally and internationally. This has led to a heated debate regarding the desirability of profit-based educational institutions. Glenda Kruss in her book “Chasing Credentials and Mobility: Private Higher Education in South Africa” has noted that it is no longer realistic to debate the desirability of private institutions. “We cannot make private provision - and the potential problems it raises - ‘go away’.” Instead, efforts need to (and have) been made to regulate the industry, either to ensure that it complements public higher education (as Dr Kruss suggests) or to simply ensure that these institutions do not exploit students.

Why are students enrolling at private institutions? The CHE suggests that these institutions cater to students who are unable to enrol at traditional universities for practical and financial reasons. Dr Kruss’s research has shown that some private institutions also offer services that claim to be of better quality than their public counter-parts or they offer training that is not available through public institutions. Unsurprisingly, the private institutions’ marketing approach focuses on the added benefits offered by their courses (higher quality and different services) rather than the barriers that students may face in getting into university or technikon.

Often it is in fact the barriers to traditional education that lead students to private institutions rather than the particular merits of the latter. These barriers include academic hurdles, geographical distance, cost and the need to enter the job market quickly.

Entrance to traditional institutions is dependent on matric exemption as degrees and higher diplomas require this. Admittance to universities is further limited to those who have done well in matric, particularly for courses with limited placements.

Additionally, traditional institutions are predominantly situated in large cities. Not only do students from outlying areas have to relocate, they also have to bear the additional living costs associated with leaving home.

Importantly, the qualifications offered at universities and technikons generally require students to study full-time for a number of years. It is extremely difficult to hold-down a job while studying full-time and there is an enormous amount of pressure on school-leavers to start earning. There is thus a growing demand for short courses or flexible part-time programmes.

Financial and academic pressures thus often result in people being unable to go to traditional higher education institutions. Instead they look for alternatives, and the private higher education industry has sprung up to service this need.

The White Paper on Higher Education (1997) has suggested that private institutions can play a complementary role in higher education in South Africa by “expanding access to higher education, in particular, in niche areas, through responding to labour market opportunities and student demand’.

A key question then, is whether these institutions are in fact meeting the need. Are students that cannot afford tradition education able to afford private education? Can students who have not met the rigorous academic requirements of university/technikon get into these private institutions? Are these institutions situated in outlying areas? And are students being equipped to enter the job-market?

Do these Institutions Improve Access to Higher Education?

In 1995, the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) estimated that approximately 150,000 South Africans were enrolled at private higher education institutions. More recent research shows that the number may be closer to 85,000. Who are these students and why have the selected private institutions?

The geographical location of private institutions gives some insight into these questions. Fifty-three percent of private higher education institutions are situated in Gauteng with 25.9% in KwaZulu-Natal and 13.7% in the Western Cape. CHE speculates that institutions cluster in areas with high levels of economic activity. However, they hypothesise that KwaZulu-Natal has a greater number of private institutions than the Western Cape because the matric pass rate in the Cape is high, meaning that learners in this area are more likely to be eligible for entrance to universities and technikons.

Gauteng (5), KwaZulu-Natal (3) and the Western Cape (3) are the three provinces with the most universities, with 11 of the 18 universities in SA. They also have a technikon each, thus a third of the 9 technikons in the country.

Furthermore, of the 103 registered institutions more than 75% are situated in the following four cities: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Universities, technikons and private institutions thus appear to be clustered around economic centres. There are extremely few options for students living elsewhere. However, some institutions do offer correspondence courses which allow students to engage in distance education. Unfortunately, the data available did not indicate how many institutions offered this option.

Geographical location of private institutions appears to be no different to public institutions and so does not indicate improved access to education for particular groups of people. Assessment of race and gender representation at private institutions is similarly uninformative.

George Subotzy’s 2003 assessment of the sector (Private Higher Education and Training) shows that 62% of students enrolled at private higher education institutions are black, “indicating a fairly deracialised sector and countering assumptions of elitism.” The private higher education sector shows greater enrolment of black students than technikons, but fewer than universities.

Similarly, there is an equal percentage of men and women enrolled. Women, however, are over-represented in certain fields of study (for example, health and language studies) and underrepresented in others (such as technology and business).

There seems to be similar access to private institutions, in terms of geography, race and gender, as there is to public tertiary institutions. The attraction of the private education sector must thus lie elsewhere.

What Kinds of Training are Offered?

Kruss suggests that some private education providers offer services that are not available from public institutions. This differentiated service could either be a function of the types of courses on offer, the level of courses or the mode of delivery.

Private higher education institutions focus predominantly on training in the fields of information technology, business administration, communications, human resource development and theology. “Very few private enrolments [are] in the key scarce skills fields of science, engineering and technology proper, or health and social services,” says George Subotzky.

In addition, CHE has noted concern regarding the failure of private higher education institutions to impart the necessary skills in the fields covered. For example, approximately 13% of courses offered are Information Technology related. The majority of these predominantly train students to use particular software applications and do not provide the programming and development skills that the economy requires.

However, there are some fields which appear to be outside the scope of public institutions, for example theology (which is not emphasised at public institutions) and beauty and alternative therapies.

This differentiation explains some of the appeal of private institutions, but the main draw-card is the fact that many courses offered (almost 40%) are certificate or diploma programmes which do not require matric exemption and are completed within one or two years respectively. The importance of these simple points cannot be overstated and 37% of students at private institutions are enrolled for courses at this level.

The success and growth of the private higher education sector is thus a function of the fact that courses are offered which do not require matric exemption, that these courses are shorter than university and technikon programmes, that in some instances the quality of programmes is very high and that certain types of training are not available elsewhere. These factors influence students of all races and cut across gender.

How Can Quality be Measured?

Concerns about the quality of private higher education have been repeatedly expressed. These concerns vary from fears that courses are not adequately designed, to dissatisfaction with the level of teaching and perceptions that qualifications from private institutions are bought, not earned. For example, the SACP statement on private higher education institutions in South Africa contains the following harsh criticism of the quality of private institutions:

“One of the biggest threats to the creation of a sustainable and quality public higher education system in South Africa is the unregulated proliferation of private higher education institutions. … This proliferation of private institutions also poses a big threat to quality higher education and human resource development as some of them provide very poor quality higher education. ”

These concerns were articulated before mandatory registration, quality assurance and course accreditation were imposed. The fear also appears to be justified. In their assessment of the applications for registration, the CHE found that many of the courses on offer were not consistent with the higher education levels of the NQF (levels 5-8). They report that of the courses submitted, only 15.5% actually belonged to the higher education band.

The CHE report finds that half of institutions that applied for accreditation needed to reconsider their overall programme design (i.e. the content of the courses). Additionally, the report shows that institutions typically market their courses at a level higher than they actually are - 84.5% of institutions offered higher education courses that are actually consistent with a FET level. The report also expresses concern that programmes do not have clear assessment strategies to determine whether students have met the requirements of the course. Only 31% of institutions had adequate assessment strategies in place!

The idea that qualifications obtained from private higher education institutions are bought rather than earned was reinforced to me by a part-time lecturer at a local institution who recounted how the parents of one of his students had repeatedly called to find out why the student had not passed. The student had in fact completely failed to hand in the assessment assignment, despite being given extended deadlines. The parents’ response: “But we paid the fees!”

Another disturbing quality issue is the discrepancy between the list of accredited courses published by the Department of Education and the courses advertised by private higher education institutions. Some of these differences are explained by the fact that many private institutions offer both higher education courses and Further Education and Training (FET) courses. Also, some institutions offer tuition for correspondence courses provided by other institutions (eg UNISA). These courses are accredited in the name of the parent institution.

In fact, two-thirds of students registered at private institutions in 2001 were registered for programmes certified by other institutions.

The most common example of this in South Africa, is the registration of students for UNISA degrees through private institutions. UNISA has a formalised relationship with many of these institutions, whereby UNISA provides the study material, which is self-contained, while the other institution provides tuition on a face-to-face basis. For a list of institutions with whom UNISA has signed a memorandum of agreement, click here.

Prospective students are urged to confirm that both the institution and the course they enrol for are registered and accredited.

The Higher Education Act (1997) requires all private higher educations institutions to be registered, in order to regulate and monitor the quality of education on offer. Only institutions that are financially sound and which are capable of providing training of a suitable standard are allowed to register.

There are three different levels of registration for private institutions:

* Qualifications offered by the provider must be registered on the National Qualifications Framework. This ensures that courses are truly consistent with similar courses provided at public institutions and other private providers.
* Any courses offered and the institution itself must be evaluated by the CHE to ensure that quality standards are maintained.
* The institution itself must be registered with the Department of Education.

The DoE registration certificate gives an institution the licence to operate and lists the higher education programmes which the institution is allowed to offer. A registration cycle is usually given to an institution upon registration after which its accreditation and registration status must be reviewed. This guarantees that standards are maintained over time.

Many stakeholders, including prominent institutions in the industry, have welcomed the regulation of the sector. “This accreditation process has had many positive implications in that private institutions have had to meet prescribed quality improvements - and it has ruled out the many ‘fly-by-night’ operators, who do not meet with legislative requirements,” says Prof Zak Nel chairperson of the Academic Board of the Damelin Education Group.

The Department of Education reports that the number of complaints they have received from students over the last three years has dramatically been reduced as registration requirements have been more strictly enforced.

However, the Department also appeals to all prospective students to check that the institutions they wish to study at are registered. A list of all registered institutions and their accredited course is available from the Department and anyone with questions or concerns can contact the Private Higher Education Institutions Directorate at:
Tel: (012) 312 5253 / (012) 312 5320
Fax: (012) 324 6343.

This Directorate also deals with complaints from the public regarding private higher education institutions.

The quality of courses at private institutions varies enormously but the regulation of the sector has gone some way to ensuring that students receive the training they have paid for. Nevertheless, prospective students must be proactive about checking the reputation and standards of institutions.

How Can Students Finance Private Studies?

It is extremely difficult to compare the costs of courses at private institutions with those provided by public education institutions.

The only comparative study available is the CHE report on The State of the Provision of the MBA in South Africa which found that for Masters degrees in Business Administration (MBA), public universities were more expensive than technikons and local private providers, while transnational providers were considered expensive. It must be noted that on average public institutions’ MBAs scored better on quality criteria than private institutions’ programmes.

The fact that many certificate and diploma programmes are on offer at private institutions, means that students may only need to pay for one or two years’ of tuition. The net cost of studying will thus be likely to be less than at a public institution. But there is no basis for a year-by-year comparison

In terms of access to funding, students at registered private institutions are generally able to get student loans from any of the major banks. Most banks have a range of options available to students which are granted subject to terms and conditions.

Bursary options however appear to be limited. Some private institutions offer bursaries but most do not. Students can also apply for bursaries through the usual channels, but some bursary programmes, like the National Research Foundation (NRF), only providing funding to universities and other traditional institutions. Students can also not get government student loans from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to study at private institutions.

What Should Prospective Students Do?

If you are contemplating undertaking training at a private higher education institution, you should consider your options carefully.

* Check that the institution you are enrolling at is registered with the Department of Education and that the courses are accredited through the NQF programme. You can contact the Department of Education to confirm that an institution is registered.
* Find out exactly what the course will cost you (including hidden costs such as books, stationary, examination fees etc). Also find out about refunds - if the course is cancelled will your fees be returned?
* Quality teaching is an essential part of learning. CHE noted that 67% of the institutions applying for private higher education institution accreditation had staff whose skills, qualifications and experience were “highly problematic”. Additionally, many private institutions bring in contract or part-time staff to teach their courses and often there are insufficient staff to manage practical work. Do you know who your lecturers will be? It is a good idea to speak to students from previous years about the quality of teaching.
* What facilities are there available to you? Will you have access to computers, a library and practical training facilities? And can you access facilities after hours? Some institutions offer accommodation and recreation facilities to students as well.
* Are you going to be equipped to find work? You need to assess the quality of the training you are undertaking. You also need to ensure that there is a market for the skills that you will be learning. Find out about the institutions’ placement success-rate or ask people in the relevant industry for advice. Also find out what percentage of the course involves practical training.
* How will the course be delivered? Is the course full-time, part-time or by correspondence? You need to choose an option that suits your needs and abilities.
* How is the course assessed? What are the requirements for obtaining certification for the course? Be wary of courses that appear to automatically provide certification for courses that have been “completed” without an assessment of the student’s knowledge, as these are unlikely to be regarded highly by employers.

Are Private Institutions Reponsive to Socio-Economic Needs?

There is no doubt that private higher education institutions have a role to play in South African education. There are distinct needs for tertiary education that are not being fulfilled by the public institutions. Most significant of these, seems to be the need for shorter courses and the need for courses which do not require matric exemption.

Although on some levels, private education institutions are clearly filling this gap, it is as yet not clear whether they are doing so in a meaningful way.

The Commission for Higher Education has concluded that there is not enough evidence to show that private higher education institutions are particularly responsive to the socio-economic climate in South Africa. Furthermore, the failure to offer courses in scarce skills fields indicates that private higher education is not likely to bridge the gap between skills supply and market need.

Nevertheless, students who select their institution and courses carefully, will be able to get appropriate training and will greatly improve their chances of finding employment.