South African universities see gap between school and first year — Daily Maverick
South African universities report significant difficulties faced by students in their first year after finishing school. As Daily Maverick reports, lecturers link this not to a lack of students’ abilities, but to differences between the requirements of secondary and higher education.
Mathematics and pace of study
Wikus van Niekerk, dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Stellenbosch University, noted that the volume and pace of work at university, particularly in engineering programmes, are substantially higher than at school. According to the university, almost 20% of first-year engineering students discontinue their studies despite the support measures available.
Michelle Kuttel, head of the computer science programme at the University of Cape Town, called the level of mathematical skills the biggest problem. In her view, high-quality mathematics teaching is more important for prospective students than simply having an information technology subject at school. More than 1,000 students are enrolled in the first year of her programme.
University of Johannesburg student Simamkele Koyo said he had difficulties planning his time because of the heavy workload. He also noted that the preparation methods familiar from school did not help him adapt to university study.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Support for first-year students
Shoba Rathilal, acting director of the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching at Durban University of Technology, urged people not to view these problems as students’ shortcomings. She stressed that young people arrive at universities with different prior experiences and unequal educational opportunities, and that school should lay the foundation for further learning.
Stellenbosch University offers underprepared engineering students an extended programme with a foundation year, summer schools, study-skills classes, support from educational psychologists and AI-based learning chatbots. The University of the Witwatersrand runs the Gateway to Success programme, which helps first-year students navigate the university, connect with peers and find support services.
At the same time, Wikus van Niekerk drew attention to declining lecture attendance and excessive use of artificial intelligence to complete homework and practical assignments. According to him, this contributes to students’ overconfidence and insufficient preparation for final assessments, which has resulted in lower performance in at least two subjects compared with previous years.
