Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Mimmy Gondwe says government is exploring closer collaboration with the private sector to expand access to higher education and support student funding through a proposed bursary scheme.
Private higher education institutions are set to explore the establishment of a private-sector-funded bursary scheme aimed at expanding access to tertiary education.
The announcement was made by the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, after concluding a series of discussions with private higher education institutions and sector representative bodies.
The proposed bursary fund comes at a time when the government is grappling with fiscal constraints and growing demand for higher education opportunities. Private institutions currently enrol approximately 313,000 students, accounting for about 30% of all higher education enrolments in South Africa, while public universities accommodate around 1.1 million students.
According to the Department, private higher education institutions agreed to investigate the establishment of a bursary fund that would be administered and managed by the sector itself.
