THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN TERTIARY EDUCATION:

THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN TERTIARY EDUCATION:

THE CASE OF SOUTH AFRICA SINCE 1945

BY

JOHN DREIJMANIS

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy, Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education in fulfilm~nt of

the requirements for the degree of

DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE

POTCHEFSTROOM PROMOTER:

NOVEMBER, 1985 PROF. DR, P.J, VAN NIEKERK CO-PROMOTER:

PROF, DR. S.J,p, DU PLESSIS

P 5, lines 2 and 4 after "and" insert "the successor".

P J, line 6 delete "technical colleges".

P 9, line 2 from the bottom it reads "of".

P 14, troughout the page it reads "Boers".

p 20, _{line 12 from the bottom}

insert "Afrikaanse" before

"Ouervereniging".

P 21, line 14 delete "all" and insert "most".

P 25, line 14 from the bottom it reads "volksnasionalisme".

P 25, line 9 from the bottom it reads "afrikaans-".

P 25, bottom line it reads "verkrap".

P 26, first line it reads "verlig".

P 28, line 11 from the bottom delete "of" after "north" and insert "and".

P 30, line 8 from the bottom it reads "J. C.".

P 54, line 10 from the bottom delete "advanced technical".

P 65, line 3 from the bottom delete "the .... departments" and insert

"a head of a provincial education department".

P 162, line 9 it reads "remuneration".

1

PREFACE

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6

1.7

1.8

2.

2.1 2.2

2.2. 1

2.2.1.1 2.2.1.2 2.2. 1. 3 2.2. 1 .4 2.2. 1. 5 2. 2. 1 .6

2.2.2 2.2.3 2.2.4 2.2.5

2.3

2. 3. 1 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.3.4 2.3.5 2.3.6

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

MOTIVATION AND NECESSITY

THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES SCOPE

DATA PROBLEMS

DEFINITIONS AND USAGE ORGANISATION

CONCLUSION

THE DEVELOPMENT OF TERTIARY EDUCATION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO SECONDARY EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION

POPULATION 'GROUPS

AFRIKANERS

Afrikaner Stages of Development Dutch Rule

British Rule

Triumph of Afrikaner National ism Socio-Economic Advances

Divisions

ANGLOPHONES COLOUREDS ASIANS BLACKS

DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION

CHRISTIAN NATIONAL EDUCATION PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACADEMIC TYPE

COLOURED AND INDIAN EDUCATION BLACK EDUCATION

EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS

X

7 7 9 1 0 1 1

1 2 12 1 2

1 2

1 2 1 3 1 3 1 4 1 4

1 7

1 7

1 8 1 8 1 8

1 9

1 9

20

22

22

23

23

2.4

2. 4. 1

2.4.2 2.4.3

'2 .4.4 2.4.5 2.4.6 2.5 2.5. 1 2.5.2 2.5.3 2.5.4 2.6 2.6. 1

2.6.2' 2.7 2.8

3.

3. 1

3.2 3.2. 1

3.2.2 3.2.3 3.2.4 3.3

3.3. 1 3.3.2 3.3.3

TERTIARY EDUCATION UNIVERSITIES FOR THE WHITES UNIVERSITIES FOR THE NON-WHITES TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THE WHITES TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THE NON-WHITES

COLLEGES OF EDUCATION FOR THE WHITES COLLEGES OF EDUCATION FOR THE NON-WHITES

UNIVERSITY PREST1GE WHITES

COLOUREDS INDIANS BLACKS

FAILURE RATES WHITES

NON-WHITES

SOME CAUSES CONCLUSION

TERTIARY EDUCATION AND THE POLITICAL SYSTEM INTRODUCTION

DIVISION OF AUTHORITY IN EDUCATION CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS-AND THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION TECHNICAL COLLEGES AND THE CATEs

UNIVERSITIES

BLACK EDUCATION SEPARATE .DEVELOPMENT UNIVERSITIES

STUDENT ATTITUDES

25

25

28

29

30

30

31

31

31

33

33

34

35

35

36

36

37

51

51

51

51

53

54

55

55

55

58

59

3.3.4 3.3.5 3.4 3. 4. 1

3.4.2 3.4.3 3.5 3. 5.1 3.5.2 3.5.3 3.5.4 3.5.5 3.6 4.

4. 1

4.2 4.3 4.3.1 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.6.1 4.7 4.8 4.9 4. 9. 1

4.9.2

POLICY CHANGES VISTA UNIVERSITY

i i i

ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURES

ADVISORY AUTHORITIES FOR THE NON-BLACK INSTITUTIONS ADVISORY AUTHORITIES FOR THE BLACK INSTITUTIONS PROPOSED CHANGES

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

UNIVERSITY CURRENT EXPENDITURES COLLEGES OF EDUCATION

TECHNIKONS

TECHNICAL COLLEGES

CONCLUSION

THE POLICY DIMENSIONS AND THEIR DETERMINANTS INTRODUCTION

MASS UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

GOVERNMENT CURRENT EXPENDITURES

OVERINVESTMENT OR UNDERINVESTMENT?

ENROLMENT AND THE BUSINESS CYCLE AUTONOMY AND STRATIFICATION

UNIVERSITY; CATE; AND TECHNIKON IMBALANCES

IMBALANCES WITHIN IMBALANCES

CATE AND.TECHNIKON ENROLMENTS

TECHNICAL ENROLMENTS AND THE BUSINESS CYCLE DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS

UNIVERSITY DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS vs. ENGINEERING AWARDS TECHNICAL

AND DIPLOMAS

61 62

64 64 67 68

69

69 70 75 76 76

76

77

77 78 78

80

82 83 83

84

87

88

89

89

90

4. 10 4. 11

4.11.1 4.11 .2

4.11.2.1 4.11.2.2 4.11.2.3 4.11.2.4 4.11.2.5 4.11.2.6

4.12

·4. 13

4.13.1

4. 14 4. 15

4.15.1

4. 16

4. 17

4. 17. 1

4. 18 4. 19

4. 19. ¹ 4.20 4.21

4.21.1 4.21 .2 4.21.3

ECONOMIC REWARDS 91

BIASES IN FAVOUR OF ACADEMIC EDUCATION 93

COLONIAL AND THIRD WORLD 93

SOUTH AFRICAN PROBLEMS 95

Po 1 i t i ca 1 9 5

Social 95

Economic 96

Educational 96

Vocational Guidance 98

Inertia within the Education System 100

EDUCATED MANPOWER 101

HUMAN CAPITAL THEORY 101

CRITIQUES OF HUMAN CAPITAL THEORY 103

EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 106 COMMISSIONS ON ENGINEERS AND TECHNICIANS 107

POLICY RESULTS 109

INCREASING PROPORTION OF AFRIKANERS IN ENGINEERING 109·

COMMISSIONS ON TEACHERS 110

POLICY RESULTS 111

WOMEN IN THE LABOUR FORCE 112

TEACHER SHORTAGES 113

TEACHER SHORTAGES IN MATHEMATICS AND THE SCIENCES 115

ENGINEER AND TECHNICIAN SHORTAGES 116 GOVERNMENT CONCERN ABOUT THE SURPLUSES OF EDUCATED

PEOPLE 117

DE LANGE COMMISSION · 118

SCIENCE COMMITTEE OF THE PRESIDENT

S COUNCIL 120

POLICY RESULTS 121

. 4.22

4.22.1 . 4.22 .2

4.23

5.

5. 1 5 ~ 2

5. 2·. 1

5.2.2

5.3

6.

6. 1

6.2

6. 2. 1 6.2.2 6.2.3

6.3 6.4 6.5

6.5.1 6.5.2 6.5.3

6.6 6.7 6.8

v

LABOUR MARKET PROBLEMS OF UNIVERSITY GRADUATES 121

UNEMPLOYMENT 122

UNDEREMPLOYMENT 123

CONCLUSION 126

VALUES AND THEIR CONFLICTS 146

INTRODUCTION 146

GOVERNMENT VALUES AND CONFLICTS 146

INDIVIDUAL VALUES 147

POSSIBLE RECONtiLIATION 148

CONCLUSION 149

PROJECTIONS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS 150

INTRODUCTION 150

SUPPLY AND DEMAND PROJECTIONS 150

ENGINEER AND TECHNICIAN SUPPLY AND DEMAND 151

TEACHER SUPPLY AND DEMAND 152

SUPPLY OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND GRADUATES 154

DEMAND FOR UNIVERSITY GRADUATES 154

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS 157

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS 161

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE ENGINEER AND TECHNICIAN SHORTAGES 161 POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE TEACHER SHORTAGES 162 POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE SURPLUSES OF UNIVERSITY GRADUATES 163

A TERTIARY EDUCATION COMMISSION 167

RESTRUCTURING THE POLITICAL SYSTEM 168

CONCLUSION 169

BIBLIOGRAPHY OPSOMMING SUMMARY

171

198

204

2. 1

2.2 2.3

2.4

FIGURES

Percentage of Senior Certificate Holders and Matriculants Entering University

College of Education Enrolments CATE and Technikon Enrolments University Enrolments

4.1 The Ratio of the Number of University Students per 1 000 Population

4.2 Government Expenditures on Tertiary Education as a Percentage of the G.D.P. at Constant 1975 Prices

4.3 Per Capita Government University and CATE and Technikon Expenditures for the Whites

4.4 Per Capita Government University and CATE and Technikon Expenditures for the Indians

4.5 White University and CATE and Technikon Enrolments in Relat·ion to Total White Tertiary Institution Enrolments

4.6 Coloured University and CATE and Technikon Enrolments in Relation 32a 32a 32b 32 b

78a

78a

81a

81a

84a

to Total Coloured Tertiary Institution Enrolments 84a 4.7 Indian University and CATE and Technikon Enrolments in Relation

4.8

4.9 4. 10

4. 11

to Total Indian Tertiary Institution Enrolments

Black University and CATE and Technikon Enrolments in Relation to Total Black Tertiary Institution Enrolments

Arts, Science, and Engineering Enrolments of White University Students

Arts, Science, and Engineering Enrolments of Coloured University Students

Arts, Science, and Engineering Enrolments of Indian University Students

4.12 Arts, Science, and Engineering Enrolments of Black University Students

4.13 White Technical Enrolments in Relation to Total White CATE and Technlkon Enrolments

4.14 Coloured Technical Enrolments in Relation to Total Coloured CATE and Technikon Enrolments

4.15 Indian Technical Enrolments in Relation to Total Indian CATE and Technikon Enrolments

84-b

84b

85a

85a

85b

85b

87'a

87a

87b

vii

4.16 Black Technical Enrolments in Relation to Total Black GATE and Technikon Enrolments

4.17 Engineering and University Degrees and Diplomas Awarded to All Population Groups

87b

89a

TABLES

2.1 White Senior Certificate Holders and Matriculants and First-Year Enrolments in Tertiary Education Institutions

2.2 Coloured Senior Certificate Holders and Matriculants and First- Year Enrolments in Tertiary Education Institutions

2.3 Indian Senior Certificate Holders and Matriculants and First-Year Enrolments in Tertiary Education Institutions

2~4

2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8

Black Senior Certificate Holders and Matriculants and First-Year Enrolments in Tertiary Education Institutions

White CATE and Technikon Enrolments

Coloured and Indian GATE and Technikon Enrolments Black Technikon Enrolments

White College of Education Enrolments 2.9 Non-White College of Education Enrolments 2.10 .. White University Enrolments

2.11 Coloured University Enrolments 2.12 Indian University Enrolments 2.13 Black University Enrolments

4.1 The Ratio of. the Number of White Universlty Students to the White Population

4.2 The Ratib of the Number of Coloured and Indian University Students 38

39

40

41 42·

43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

127

to .Their Populations 128

4.3 · The Ratio·of the Number of Black University Students to the Black

Population 129

4.4 Technical College, CATE, and Technikon Current Income 1'30 4.5 Coloured Technikon, College of Education, and University Current

4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4 .·1 0 4. 11

Income from the Government

Indian CATE and Technikon, College of Education, and University Current Income from the Government

Black Technikon and College of Education Current Income from the Government

Black University Current Income

White College of Education Current Income from the Government White University Current Income

Government Current Expenditures on Tertiary Education as a Per=

centage of the Gross Domestic Product at Current ·and Constant 1975 Prices (Mill ions Rand)

1 3 1

132

1 3 3 134 135 136

137

4. 12 4.13

ix

The Turning Points of the Business Cycle

Diplomas and Certificates Awarded to Technicians or in Technical Fields

4.14 Teacher Diplomas and Certificates Awarded by the Colleges of Education

4. 15 Degrees and Diplomas Awarded by the Universities

4.16 Per Capita Government CATE_ and Technikon and University Current Expenditures for the Whites

4.17 Per Capita Government Technikon and University Current Expenditures 138

139

140 1 4 l 142

for the Coloureds 142

4.18 Per Capita Government CATE and Technikon and University Current

Expenditures for the Indians 143

4.19 Per Capita Government Technikon and University Current Expenditures

for the Blacks 143

4.20 Teacher Shortages by Population Group 144

4.21 The Number of Engineers and Technicians and The"ir Shortages 145

Here I would like to express my appreciation for the assistance provided by a number of persons and institutions. Foremost thanks are due to the original promoter, Professor J .J. van Tonder, his successor, Pro- fessor P .J. van Niekerk, and the co-promoter, Professor S .J.P. du

Plessis. Professors C. H. Boshoff and S. S. Barnard provided a number of difficult to secure publications. Mr. T. P. Venter and Professors P.J.J.S. Potgieter, E.J. Smit, and J. L. van der Walt were also helpful in a number of ways, as were the ·staffs of the Ferdinand Postma Library and the Institute for Political and Africa Studies. I am also thankful to the university for a doctoral bursary. Financial assistance rendered by the Human Sciences Research Council towards the cost of the research is also acknowledged. The opinions expressed or the conclusions arrived are those of the author and are not to be regarded as those of the Human Sciences Research Council. Finally, Mrs. A.J; van Biljon deserves thanks for the typing of the manuscript, Mr. C. E. Pretorius for the assistance provided in the computer centre, and Mrs. I. de Beer for making some minor adjustments to the figures.

The information is current as of what was available by 15 November, 1985.