Bridging the gaps in schooling levels

The 2010 Matric pass rate of 67.8%, which has been trumpeted as a resounding success and a huge improvement by most officials, does not necessarily reflect the state of readiness which universities demand, as many high-school learners are ill-equipped to cope at tertiary level.

“The current schooling system is delivering learners with varying levels of preparedness for tertiary study,” says Dr Ludolph Botha, Senior Director: Student and Academic Support at Stellenbosch University (SU).

“Not only are we seeing a drop in basic numerical and literacy skills but, due to changes in the curriculum, first-year students now have varying levels of skills and knowledge, and attitudes – all of which we need to take into consideration,” he says

Through its First-Year Academy coordinated by the Centre for Teaching and Learning, Stellenbosch University has studied the academic performance of first-years to determine what is needed to bridge the gap between high school and tertiary education, and to reduce the number of first-year ‘drop-outs’, which currently stands at around 30% nationally. Stellenbosch University has reduced its first-year drop-out rate to 13%.

“Our research shows that today’s students are a ‘hybrid’ of previous and current school curricula,” comments Liezel Frick, who heads up various first-year research studies at SU.

She continues, “When the education department introduced the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) a few years ago, it was with an intention to standardise hig- school curricula throughout the country. However, the policy focuses less on actual content and more on holistic development. This is an issue since universities, by their nature, focus on content knowledge.”

The research also illuminated the huge divide between schools. Many first-year students who gain entry to university may not have had the same access to learning resources, school and home environments, computer facilities and well-trained, capable teachers as others. The NCS also leaves room for interpretation which sees schools and teachers implementing different measures within its framework.

“Learners themselves seem to be excited about the prospect of future study but might not have realistic expectations of what traditional universities offer and whether they can meet the demands of these institutions,” notes Frick.

“Many respondents found the volume of work ‘daunting’, textbooks ‘inaccessible’ and the perceived pace of work posed huge difficulties among most. Even if academic standards within secondary education improve, it’s obvious that tertiary institutions need to do more to help students acclimatise and offer ways for them to hone their academic skills.”

Commenys Botha: “SA universities are starting to introduce ‘early warning systems’ to determine gaps in first-year students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes,.

“Stellenbosch University’s First-Year Academy, as an example, has an early assessment initiative to determine within the first six weeks of the academic year who the high-risk students are and to offer support as soon as possible from lecturers, deans, academic support services, and even the parents – because they also receive the early assessment results. We also use computer-tracking technology to analyse undergraduates throughput and to predict and enhance student success.”

Other initiatives include a subject-tutoring programme in faculties, a ResEd programme (which stands for residential education – it includes, among others, a mentor programme in all residences), the Centre for Student Counselling and Development and the Language Centre, which offers, among a variety of language support services, the development of academic writing skills and integrated courses in academic literacy and language acquisition

SU also offers a number of supplementary initiatives at high-school level and post-matric level, by means of its Institute for Mathematics and Science Teaching (IMSTUS) which focuses on mathematics and science education programmes for educators and learners from disadvantaged communities. SU also has a Schools Partnership Project (which identifies talented learners from disadvantaged schools and does active early intervention). IMSTUS also drives  a year-long post-matric bridging programme, SciMathUS, to prepare promising learners for tertiary studies in the scarce fields of mathematics, accountancy and science.

In another high-school support initiative SU’s ‘cyber classroom’ is used by the Western Cape Education Department for an interactive satellite link-up which reaches 120 “underperforming” schools in the province, providing extra tuition in particularly challenging subjects such as mathematics, science, biology and accounting.

The schools are equipped with screens that receive video, audio and data signals from a broadcasting centre at the University, with students able to ask questions and log into a network for further information and resources. SU uses the same technology to assist postgraduate students to study without having to leave their homes and workplace.

With the changes in the schooling system, universities across the country have been forced to ‘bridge the gap’, giving much-needed support to students while still in the high-school system, in their first year of study and throughout their tertiary education. If SA is to produce a new generation of highly-qualified engineers, scientists and analysts, interventions at numerous stages of study are crucial to the country’s growth.

(This article was supplied by the University of Stellenbosch)