Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has cautioned that meeting university entry requirements does not guarantee admission, as South Africa’s post-school education and training (PSET) system faces growing pressure from record numbers of matriculants and limited institutional capacity.

Speaking amid heightened demand for post-school opportunities, Manamela said the sector currently offers about 535 000 funded and planned spaces across universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, Community Education and Training (CET) colleges, skills programmes and workplace-based learning.

This falls short of the needs of more than 650 000 successful matriculants, highlighting a structural gap between academic achievement and available pathways.

According to the minister, the 2025 matric results reflect both progress and pressure. About 46.4% of candidates achieved a Bachelor’s pass, while 28.1% earned a Diploma pass and 13.5% a Higher Certificate pass.

He emphasised that a Bachelor’s pass does not automatically translate into university admission, as institutions apply programme-specific requirements and selection processes when demand exceeds capacity.

“Where learners and families experience disappointment, it is often not because of failure, but because of misaligned expectations,” added Manamela

The minister also highlighted concerns about the pipeline into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), citing growing enrolment in Mathematical Literacy and stagnant performance in key subjects such as Mathematics and Accounting.

Manamela says learners are excluded from high-demand programmes in engineering, health sciences, ICT, data science, and advanced manufacturing, not because of institutional failure, but because of subject-level preparation.

“This weakens our national skills base and limits the system’s responsiveness to industrialisation, innovation, and economic growth.”

To address these challenges, the government is strengthening coordination across the education system, expanding vocational and workplace-based pathways, and prioritising scalable programmes that support faster entry into the labour market.

“Not every learner will secure immediate placement in their first choice. But every learner must be able to find a credible, supported pathway into learning, skills development and productive participation in society.” concluded Manamela

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