THEBE MABANGA
A new report by Stats SA shows that Black Africans, females and even children between the ages of 0 and 4 years have made huge strides in attaining education in the thirty years since South Africa became a democracy.
The report, titled Census 2022: A profile of education enrolment, attainment and progression in South Africa, showed that previously marginalised communities have embraced the opportunity to improve their education and skills level in large numbers. It compares education attainment levels and progression between the 1996 and 2022 Census, a period of 26 years. “One of the most notable achievements is the significant increase in enrolment rates across all levels of education,” the report notes. “Enrolment rates have seen unprecedented growth, reflecting improved access to education for previously marginalised communities, resulting in higher educational achievements.”
A key factor in the improvement to education access, especially to Early Childhood Development (ECD) has been the Schools Act of 1996, which made Grade R compulsory. As a result, 87 % of four-year-old children attend an ECD facility while 73,5% of three-year-olds attend. 60% of children attending ECD are in urban areas while the rest are in rural or peri-urban areas.
The report highlights the fact that substantial strides have been made in education reforms, including the establishment of no-fee schools, school nutrition programmes, improved access to scholar transport, implementation of the child support grant, and introduction of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), all of which have had a significantly positive impact on enrolment, particularly among previously disadvantaged groups.
According to the report, educational progress, particularly among the black African population in South Africa, is evident. The percentage of individuals aged 25 years and older with only primary education or less has declined substantially, from about 57,9% in 1996 to 22,2% in 2022. “This decline underscores a considerable shift towards higher educational attainment levels among this group over the past three decades” the report says.
The report also shows a substantial increase in the attainment of secondary education among black Africans. The percentage of individuals with secondary education more than tripled from 9,4% in 1996 to 34,7% in 2022.
The Census data also shows a large increase in tertiary education attainment with the gaps between coloureds and black Africans having closed. “This surge in secondary and tertiary education attainment signifies a positive trend towards greater access to and completion of higher levels of education within the black African population group,” the report says.
In 2022, the gender gap in tertiary education attainment was nearly closed, with the percentage of females surpassing that of males. About 13,1% of females attained tertiary qualifications, compared to 12,3% of males. In 1996, only 6,7% of females and 8,6% of males had obtained tertiary education. “The narrowing of the gender gap is particularly noteworthy as it signifies progress towards gender equality in educational opportunities and outcomes,” says Stats SA, which also notes that the gender gap is still evident at higher levels of Masters and Doctoral level.
INSIDE EDUCATION
