Pretoria: Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has urged matriculants to explore a range of post-school opportunities, as spaces at universities remain limited. Speaking at a media briefing on the state of readiness for the 2026 academic year, Manamela said the department is projecting about 235,000 first-year university spaces.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Minister emphasized the importance of timely applications and exploring multiple options beyond university. Manamela highlighted that Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, and Community Education and Training (CET) colleges serve as crucial pathways into work, skills, and further study. Although access to higher education has improved, the Minister acknowledged high dropout rates, especially in the first year, and mentioned ongoing discussions with institutions to make student success rates more transparent.
Currently, South African universities accommodate approximately 1.1 million students, TVET colleges about 527,000, and CET colleges about 130,000 learners. The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) supports 900,000 students annually through bursaries and loans, while SETAs provide various learnerships and skills programs to a wide range of individuals.
On student funding, Manamela announced a mechanism to address the financial shortfall experienced in the 2025 academic year by reprioritising R13.3 billion within existing resources. This will support 34,000 students with blocked registrations and 15,000 students with second semester registrations. The Minister mentioned commitments made to stabilise NSFAS and develop a sustainable funding model, with NSFAS opening its registration portal on Monday, 15 September 2025.
Manamela assured student accommodation providers affected by delayed payments that they would receive funds owed for services rendered. He noted that while these measures mark progress, NSFAS remains financially strained due to rising student numbers, escalating living costs, and declining state resources. The Minister is expected to announce steps towards sustainable funding reforms for NSFAS later in the year and will officially launch the 2026 NSFAS application process on Tuesday, 16 September, at the University of Pretoria.