Admission to Higher Education: Implications for Nursing Schools

1. Admission to Higher Education: Implications for Nursing Schools Professor Dalena van Rooyen

2. As nurse educators we should continuously ask ourselves: Who are these students in front of me really.... and what road did they have to follow to get into my class?

3. Overview of the students entering HE • It is estimated that every year 1,1 million learners start grade 1 • However, in 2008 only 589 912 learners wrote matric. What happened to the rest? • Only 62% of these learners passed matric in 2008, thus 38% who wrote the matric examination failed, meaning more that a third failed

4. Overview of the students entering HE • Those who failed in 2008 are likely to add to the staggering unemployment figure of about 60% in the 18-35 year age group • Furthermore, only 20% of the 62% who passed, attained a university-entrance qualification

5. Students entering HE • Of particular interest to Nursing Schools are the 2008 results in Mathematics, Mathematic Literacy and Physical Science • At most HEI these subjects (with Life Science) are compulsory subjects for entry into the Nursing Science degree programme • In 2008 only 40% of matriculants passed Mathematics, in contrast to the high pass rate in Mathematical Literacy of about 78%

6. Students entering HE • Only 21% of the learners scored above 50% in Mathematics and only about 15% of the learners scored above 50% in Physical Science • Therefore it is no wonder that SA has consistently under-performed in international measures of numeracy and literacy in learners

7. Reason for student drop out from HE • Up to 60% of students drop out of university – mostly form underprivileged environments • Key reason cited is lack of finances • Outstanding student fees at HEI’s rocketed in recent years: • UJ: R112 –million, DUT: R175 –million (2007) • Second reason due to poor academic performance

8. Reason for student drop out from HE • Other reasons for drop out: • Female students falling pregnant • Finding campus life and lectures to structured and boring • Having to care for sick relatives • Peer pressure forcing them to make incorrect career choices

9. Further consideration • Communication is identified as a further major stumbling block in the progress of students, not surprisingly if one considers less than 10% of the total SA population speaks English as a first language Therefore: • All Nursing Schools need a tracking system to identify “students at risk” Because: • Best predictor for the first year drop-outs was a lack of progress which related to academic underpreparedness for HE

10. Students Applying for Admission to HEI’s Nat SeniorCert SeniorCert Mature Age exemp-tion HEI Interna- tional Student Nat Cert Voc

11. National Senior Certificate • Structure: Learner study 7 subjects • Higher and Standard grade differentiation are not used any more • Results are reflected in percentages and numbers on Levels: 1-7

12. National Senior Certificate • Group A: Compulsory Fundamental Subjects (4): • Two official Languages, Home Language (HL) and first additional Language (DL) • Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy • Life Orientation (not externally examined)

13. National Senior Certificate • Group B: Elective Subjects (3): • Learner select 3 subjects from list of 27 subjects – but only certain subjects on the designated list (17) give admission to HE eg • Accounting, Business studies, Economics, Geography, History, IT, Physical Science, Life Science, Music, Consumer studies, Visual Arts, Dramatic Arts etc

14. Minimum Statutory Entry Requirements • Bachelor’s Degree Programme • Minimum of 30% (level 2) for language of instruction at HEI • 4 subjects from designated list at a rating of 4(50-59%) • Institutional requirements • Diploma • Minimum of 30% (level 2) language of instruction • 4 subjects from designated list at a rating of 3(40-49%) • Institutional requirements • National Higher Certificate • Minimum of 30% (level 2) language of instruction • Institutional requirements

15. National Certificate (Vocational) • First cohort to enter HE in 2010 • NC (Vocational) is new and modern qualification introduced at FET Colleges at NQF level 2, 3 and 4 • Introduce at FET Colleges at level 2 in 2007, 3 in 2008 and 4 in 2009 • It gives Grade 9 learners a vocational alternative to an academic Grade 10-12, offering industry focussed training on NQF level 2 – 4

16. National Certificate (Vocational) • Provide both theory and practice exposure • The National Certificate qualification is al full year at each NQF level of study • Students are issued with a certificate on completion of each level of study • In order to obtain the NC (Vocational) a student is required to take a total of 7 subjects at NQF level 4

17. National Certificate (Vocational) • These include the Fundamental Subjects: • Mathematics or Mathematics literacy, LO and Languages • 4 Vocational Subjects • 12 Fields at FET Colleges • Management, Marketing, IT & Computer Science, Finance, Office Admin, Electrical Infrastructure Construction, Civil Engineering and Building Construction, Engineering and related designs, Primary Agriculture, Hospitality, Tourism, Safety in Society

18. Admission Point Score (APS) • APS system allocates point values to the levels of achievement obtained in matric subjects

19. Admission Point Score continue: Example: Entry to B Cur degree at NMMU Meet minimum statutory NSC requirements for Bachelor’s degree entry • English, Afrikaans or Xhosa home language and first additional language on a level 3 (40-49%) • NSC rating of at least 4(50-59%) for Maths Literacy or 3(40-49%) for Maths • NSC rating of at least 3(40-49%) for Life Sciences • NSC rating of at least 3(40-49%) for Physical Sciences Minimum Admission Point Score of: 36

20. Only about 16% of 18-24 year age group are accessing HE

21. Alternative access routes into mainstream programmes • Extended Curriculum Programmes • These programmes provide an environment in which academic support and skills development are integrated with regular academic work • Additional support modules and activities in the first two years of the extended programme assist students to adapt to the HE learning environment in order to follow the mainstream modules during the last two to three years of study (depending on length of degree 3 or 4 years) • Therefore, at NMMU the (DoE approved) Extended B Cur degree in nursing runs over 5 years of study

22. Admission criteria for Ext B Cur degree • The purpose of this programme is to provide alternative access to HE to students who have potential to succeed, but do not meet the minimum requirements for mainstream Therefore: • All applicants who do not met the requirements for direct admission to the B Cur degree, and who have an APS of 25 or higher (25-35)will be referred for admission assessment or testing

23. Alternative access routes into mainstream programmes • Access or Admission Assessment (NBT’s) • Most HEI’s currently have their own system of admission testing, but in 2010 the National Benchmark Tests (NBT’s) should be fully implemented • The purpose of the NBT’s is to assess components - that do not overlap with school-leaving examinations - but add an important dimension re the competency of school-leavers to successfully tackle HE studies • Comparing applicants from diverse backgrounds, egSC &NSC learners, mature age learners, international students, is very difficult – this task can be aided by the introduction of a stable, centrally established benchmark admission tests

24. National Benchmark Tests (NBT’s) • Two test that learners will write: • The Academic and Quantitative Literacy Test: 3 hours • The test target students’: • Capacity to engage successfully with the demands of academic study in the medium of instruction • Ability to manage situations or solve problems in a real context that is relevant to higher education study, using basic quantitative information (mathe-matical literacy) • The Mathematics Test: 3 hours • The test targets students’: • Ability related to mathematical concepts (mathe-matics)

25. Alternative access routes into mainstream programmes • Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) • RPL is an international accepted practice in HEI’s and aims to widen access to and participation in HE • RPL may be applied in two ways: • for the purpose of credit transfer for modules or subjects studied at another post-secondary or tertiary institution in order to reduce the amount of duplicated learning • for status recognition of skills, knowledge and competencies to allow entry into a specific programme in the absence of formally expected pre-qualifications • Therefore each Nursing School should have an approved RPL system in place

26. Access and Admission Principles for HEI’s • Have a range of initiatives whereby admission can be gained to an HEI: (access/admissions testing; RPL; foundation/bridging/or extended curricula programmes; formal linkages with FET Colleges; preparatory programmes for school learners) • Conceptualiseaccess holistically in terms of: • “getting in” (broadening the pool of people who can access HE studies, • “getting through” (the strategies and services available to support students to succeed at their studies), and • “getting on” (the readiness of students for the world of work and for life)

27. Access and Admission Principles for HEI’s • Have an admissions policy, which should include under-pinning values of the institution, to guide all aspects of admissions and selection. • Admission and selection must be based on relevant, well-researched, unbiased criteriaeg NBT’s and should be expanded to include alternatives to the conventional school-leaving examination. • Admissions criteria and procedures should recognise the different starting points and cultural backgrounds of applicants, and seek to include all those with the potential to benefit.

28. Access and Admission Principles for HEI’s • Applicants who are highly unlikely to succeed should not be admitted, but should be counseled or advised regarding alternative options • Research and re-visit the impact of access initiatives and the effectiveness of admissions criteria and decision-making processeson an ongoing basis to be able to effect improvements when necessary

29. Conclusion In the words of the Minister of Higher Education, Dr Blade Nzimande: “Failures and drop-outs for any reason among students after they accessed universities or colleges are an enormous waste of both taxpayers money and parents’ resources. Minimising this, must be a priority for all and the DoE will ensure that institutions be encouraged and supported to increase success rates and subsequently to increase through-put rates”

30. I THANK YOU