Introduction
Learners from disadvantaged, under-resourced schools in both rural and urban areas are most affected by the challenges in the South African education system. For these learners, the transition from secondary to tertiary education has over the years proven to be extremely difficult. Research shows that these groups of learners are often unprepared for post-school education and under-represented at South African universities and other post-school education and training institutions. As a result, they frequently take longer to finish their courses, require remediation, and even drop out before finishing, joining the large group of unskilled, unemployed youth in the country that cannot participate in the economy.
This was exacerbated by the outbreak of COVID-19 whereby schooling among other operations were disrupted. In most of these areas, learners missed over 50% of schooling during the two years in which the country was dealing with the huge risk posed by the pandemic.
The South African education system comprises two main education systems. The schooling system is called Department of Basic Education. This system offers educational streams to learners aged between 6 and 18 years of age. Basic Education is divided into three streams. Early childhood development, general education and training and Further education and training stream. The benchmark for the completion of this system is the National Senior certificate.
The National Senior Certificate (NSC) is divided into three categories of pass. Students can obtain a bachelors pass which means they qualify to study towards a bachelor’s degree. In some cases, the students are not selected for bachelor’s studies based on specific higher education institution selection criteria. The second is a diploma pass, that implies the student can study towards a diploma. The last one is a pass with a certificate, and that implies the student qualifies to study for a qualification that will lead to a certificate post grade 12.
Science, Engineering Technology and Maths (STEM) related fields of study continue to select students who have performed exceptionally well in grade 12 to their highly selective programmes. This minimizes chances of selection to students who have passed with a bachelor’s pass but with minimum marks. These students aspire to study STEM related careers but are disadvantaged by their marks in Mathematics or Physical Science or Accounting in rare cases.
The intervention
SIOC-CDT’s Education, Training and Skills Development unit saw an opportunity to create a second chance for these learners to redo their NSC Mathematics and Physical Science (and in few cases Accounting) and rewrite the NSC examination on these subjects, so they can improve their chances of selection into the STEM related university study programmes.
The programme includes a baseline assessment which will also serve a diagnostic purpose to establish the learners’ knowledge gaps at programme entry. Subject offered are Mathematics and Physical Sciences. SciMathUS offers Accounting in rare cases of learners who would like to enrol for the subject. The calendar is aligned with the Department of Basic Education school calendar for Academy for Environmental leadership (AEL’s) Access for Success’s programme and with the institutional calendar for Stellenbosch University centre for Pedagogy (SUNCEP’s) SciMathUS programme.
The programme has been running for a number of years, however, the beneficiaries for 2024 are as per the graph below.
Beneficiaries are from the following local municipalities:
The learners are selected using the qualifying criteria below. This is a total of 100 learners (50 to be placed at each service provider).
- Pass matric with an average of 50% to 60%.
- Minimum 50% for English FAL or HL.
- Minimum 40% for Mathematics and Science (for AEL) | Minimum 50% for Mathematics and Science for SUNCEP.
- Must have been doing Mathematics and Physical Sciences at grade level.
- Aim to pursue studies in the STEM and related fields.
Application brochures are printed and distributed at all beneficiary schools during the NSC examination period.
Expected outcome
The goals are:
- That at least 90% of the selected participants will improve their NSC results to such a level that access to higher education or programmes with high selection criteria, is guaranteed;
- That the average improvement of students’ NSC results is more than 15 % points for each of Mathematics and Physical science;
Project implementation
The Bridging programme project commenced in in 2022 and will continue until the Board of Trustees decides to stop it.