Johannesburg - The admissions process at tertiary institutions was better this year than in 2012, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said on Thursday.
Many institutions had not been accepting walk-in applications and many prospective students had applied online, he said at a New Age business briefing in Johannesburg.
The system was reviewed after a woman was killed in a stampede at the University of Johannesburg last year. Gloria Sekwena had accompanied her son, Kgositsile, to submit a late application. She was crushed to death as a crowd tried to get through the university's gates.
“It was unfortunate that we lost a parent last year, but we have come a long way in her memory,” Nzimande said.
Plans were still in place to see the full implementation of the central application system (CAS) by 2015. It would require students to submit their grade 11 and matric results on a national system, and apply for their desired courses and tertiary institution online.
The system would submit their applications to various institutions. There would be a single, standardised application fee.
All institutions would have the same closing date for applications. The system would monitor where there was still admission space.
“Students must learn to apply in time... This last minute phenomenon of us South Africans, we really must get rid of it”.
On Monday, DA leader Helen Zille pulled out of the business briefing following reports that the initiative was funded with public money.
Nzimande said on Thursday that the briefings provided a good platform for officials to talk to and report back to the public. Those who tried to disturb the initiative should “simply be ignored”. - Sapa