This study evaluates the impact of policy reforms on higher education participation in South Africa. It is specifically concerned with the twenty-year period 1978 to 1998. Comparative participation of rates of students in higher education on the basis of race was assessed. The participation rates were defined both in terms of enrollment and graduation rates. Selected disciplines such as engineering and natural sciences were evaluated to see whether there were any significant improvements in participation rates of students from economically disadvantaged communities. Doctoral program participation on the basis of race and ethnicity was also evaluated. Finally a study of the funding of higher education in South Africa was also carried out.
It is concluded that although enrollments have increased in the post-apartheid period, these increases are influenced by institutional cultures. The largest increases in participation rates were recorded in historically white, English-language institutions.
Results indicate that African students participate disproportionately higher in human and social sciences. In science and engineering, African students are underrepresented. Whites dominate doctoral program participation in which Africans are also underrepresented. There are no desegregation patterns in historically black universities (HBUs) during the post-apartheid period.
The democratic government of South Africa instituted minor policy changes on higher education funding. However, the new funding policy has not been implemented. On average, HBUs continue to receive less funding per capita than historically white universities due to the fact that funding is still linked to the types of programs offered at the universities and the number of students enrolled. The historically black universities have experienced significant declines in student enrollment, especially in the past three years (1996-1998); this has exacerbated their financial dilemma. Policymakers in South Africa have initiated a program of redress funding for the historically black universities, which amounts to additional financial appropriations. The redress funds are disbursed according to the subsidy formula. Another initiative of the post-apartheid government in the area of funding has been the introduction of a student financial aid scheme, which is biased in favor of financially disadvantaged but academically talented students.
In all, public higher education policy in South Africa shows a movement towards racial equity in access; however, inequalities are still substantial requiring intervention by policymakers at various levels. This will assist in accelerating the reform process.
