South Africa’s Higher Education Minister, Buti Manamela, has warned matriculants that getting a bachelor pass does not guarantee a stop in university.
Manamela was briefing the media on the state of readiness of Post-School Education and Training system to commence 2026 academic year when he raised concerns about the limited spaces available at South African universities.
“While we celebrate improved matric results, our universities can only accommodate about half of the learners who qualify,” Manamela said, highlighting the mounting pressure on admissions, funding and student housing.
THE GAP BETWEEN LEARNERS AND UNIVERSITY SPACES
The 2024 matric class achieved an 87.3% pass rate, and nearly half of learners qualified for bachelor-level study. That translates into more than 337,000 students eligible for university entry in 2025-2026.
By contrast, the Department of Higher Education and Training has confirmed only around 235,000 first-year university spots for 2026.
This leaves more than 100,000 qualified students without placement, forcing many to explore alternative pathways or delay their studies.
TVET AND CET COLLEGES: UNIVERSITY ALTERNATIVES AND CHALLENGES
Manamela has urged learners to consider vocational and community colleges. TVET colleges are expected to provide more than half a million spaces, including about 170,000 for first-time entrants. CET colleges can accommodate roughly 130,000 learners.
FUNDING AND HOUSING BOTTLENECKS
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme remains a key pressure point. Earlier this year, the department redirected R13.3 billion to stabilise the scheme, helping over 34,000 students whose registrations were blocked.
Meanwhile, universities continue to face a housing shortfall of more than 400,000 beds nationwide, leaving many admitted students struggling to find safe, affordable accommodation.
A GENERATION AT RISK
In 2024, more than 114,000 bachelor-pass matriculants were left without a university place. Many were forced into vocational or private institutions, or abandoned their studies entirely.
Education analysts warn that without major reform, South Africa could face a growing pool of highly qualified but underemployed youth.
A CALL FOR URGENT UNIVERSITY REFORM
Bridging the gap will require bold, systemic changes, including investing in university infrastructure, expanding student housing, scaling blended learning, and elevating vocational training to match traditional universities.
Without a faster expansion of actual university entry places, the number of matriculants left out each year is expected to grow. Although enrolment in higher education Institutions (both public and private) continues to rise, this overall increase has not kept pace with demand for traditional university degree programmes.
