News24 | Higher education blames basic education for producing 5 065 fewer science, engineering graduates

News24 | Higher education blames basic education for producing 5 065 fewer science, engineering graduates

The Department of Higher Education and Training has blamed the "quality of maths and science pupils" produced by the Department of Basic Education for universities producing 5 065 fewer engineering and science graduates in the past financial year.

Universities are producing fewer STEM graduates

By Johnathan Paoli South African universities produced 5065 fewer graduates in key science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields during the 2023/24 financial year than targeted, sparking renewed scrutiny over the quality of maths and science education at school level. The Higher Education and Training Department, in its latest 2023/2024 annual report, attributed the shortfall to under-prepared students entering tertiary institu…