By Dr Riaan Steenberg
4 March 2024
A New Era of Self-Reliance
As global trends shift towards national self-reliance in a multi-polar context, South Africa stands at a crossroads in rethinking its higher education strategy. Around the world, countries are prioritizing their own human capital, recognizing that a well-educated workforce is key to economic independence. In this era of deregulation and leaner government, the state’s role in higher education is evolving. For South Africa, this means acknowledging that the government alone can no longer carry the full burden of training tomorrow’s engineers, doctors, and innovators. It’s time to embrace a greater role for private institutions in shaping our country’s future.
The Challenge
Public universities are stretched to their limits, and thousands of qualified young people are left without seats each year. The National Development Plan (NDP) aims for 1.62 million higher education enrolments by 2030, a target impossible to meet without private sector support. The reality is clear: if we want to secure South Africa’s future in a self-reliant world, we must tap into all our resources – including a robust, high-quality private higher education sector.
The State’s Diminishing Role and the Need for Change
Historically, the South African government has been the primary provider of higher education through public universities. But in recent years, budget constraints, rising demand, and a changing policy environment have diminished the state’s capacity to expand public higher education fast enough. The government’s own projections acknowledge a “critical absorbent role” for private institutions in taking on students that public universities cannot.
This isn’t about the government stepping back entirely – it’s about redefining its role.
Rather than solely funding and running universities, the state can act as a quality regulator and enabler. Smart deregulation can remove unnecessary red tape that stifles innovation, while maintaining strict accreditation standards to ensure quality education. In other words, the state becomes a guide and guardian, setting conditions for private higher education providers to flourish under clear rules on infrastructure, faculty qualifications, and program quality. This shift would let public institutions and private ones collaborate rather than compete – with removal of constraints on what is possible and imposing of constraints on what government is likely to fund, each contributing to a national education ecosystem that serves more students and produces the skills our economy needs.
Filling the Skills Gap: How Private Education Can Help
South Africa faces urgent shortages of highly skilled professionals in critical industries. Two stark examples are engineering and medicine, where capacity shortfalls carry real economic and social risks.
Engineering:
- South Africa has far fewer engineers per capita than comparable countries. On average, one engineer in South Africa serves 3,166 people, whereas in Brazil one engineer serves 227 people, and in Malaysia 543. This severe under-engineering hampers infrastructure development, maintenance of public works, and our ability to industrialize. Public universities produce many excellent engineers, but not nearly enough to close the gap – especially as many locally trained engineers are lured abroad by better opportunities (the classic “brain drain”). Private universities and colleges can expand the engineering talent pipeline by opening new programs and campuses. For instance, a private institution in South Africa recently earned accreditation from the Engineering Council (ECSA) to offer engineering degrees, directly helping to address the shortage of qualified engineers in the country. By scaling up engineering programs, private institutions can inject much-needed young talent into the workforce and reduce reliance on importing foreign engineers for local projects.
Medicine:
- Our doctor shortage is even more acute. The world average is about 152 doctors per 100,000 people, but South Africa has only 60 per 100,000 – a figure that speaks to clinics without doctors and long hospital queues. Public medical schools are world-class but too few: with only eight public medical faculties, they simply cannot graduate doctors fast enough to meet demand. Meanwhile, high barriers to entry mean many aspiring doctors either give up or go abroad for training. In the past, the government’s solution was to send students to Cuba or China for medical school. But as a recent analysis noted, “training doctors abroad is at best a temporary solution”. We need home-grown doctors trained in South African contexts. Yet until now, the state prohibited private medical schools, effectively bottling up potential capacity. By lifting this prohibition and encouraging reputable private universities to establish medical programs, South Africa could boost the number of new doctors each year. Other countries have done this successfully: India’s rise of private medical schools kept its students from leaving to study abroad, and Brazil relies on both public and private medical schools to train doctors for its healthcare system. These examples show that private medical education, properly regulated, can maintain high standards while significantly expanding the physician workforce. South Africa should learn from these models, combining public oversight with private initiative to produce the healthcare professionals we desperately need.
- Other Critical Industries: The story repeats across sectors. From information technology to education, biotechnology, and skilled trades, there are gaps that public institutions alone cannot fill. Private higher education providers – including private higher education institutions, technical institutes, and online academies – can be nimbler in developing programs for emerging industries such as renewable energy technology or advanced manufacturing. They can often partner with industries to tailor curricula to real-world needs, ensuring graduates are job-ready. For example, some private colleges have introduced specialized courses in data science, cybersecurity, and robotics in response to market demand, helping prepare South Africans for the jobs of the future. With digital skills being crucial (yet alarmingly scarce among youth), such industry-aligned training is essential. 90% of children in Africa leave school without basic digital skills, one report found, so expanding IT and STEM-focused higher education is critical to our competitiveness. By leveraging private institutions to offer these programs, we cultivate the expertise at home instead of hiring foreign consultants or relying on overseas training or government funding to achieve economic transformation.
In all these fields, the message is clear: private education can be a powerful engine to produce highly skilled professionals, complementing public universities. This is not a zero-sum game – it’s about adding capacity and diversity to our higher education system.
Economic and Social Imperatives of Developing Our Own Talent
Expanding private higher education is not just an educational policy choice; it’s an economic and social imperative tied to South Africa’s self-reliance. Here’s why:
- Building Local Industries: A country that trains its own engineers, doctors, scientists, and entrepreneurs is a country that can build and sustain its own industries. If we want thriving sectors – from healthcare to infrastructure to tech – we need a steady supply of local expertise to staff and lead them. Relying on foreign expertise or imported solutions comes at a cost and is risky in volatile times. When each nation is looking inward, South Africa must ensure it has the home-grown talent to stand on its own. For example, if we develop more local civil engineers and artisans, we can undertake critical infrastructure projects (like building bridges, maintaining water systems, expanding power grids) without indefinitely depending on foreign firms. This keeps investment and knowledge transfer within our borders, strengthening our economy. It also mobilises local labour and does not rely on importing skilled and semi-skilled workers and even in some cases unskilled workers.
- Reducing Dependency on Foreign Powers: A self-reliant approach means minimizing dependence on external aid or expatriate professionals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, countries that could produce medical supplies and had sufficient healthcare workers fared better. South Africa learned hard lessons about relying on global supply chains for everything from PPE to skilled medical personnel. By prioritizing local training through both public and private institutions, we won’t need to send as many students overseas or import as many experts. Training South Africans in South Africa also improves the chances they will stay and serve locally, easing the brain drain. When our brightest minds see ample educational opportunities and career prospects at home, they are less tempted to leave. Even if they then leave it is also boosting South Africa’s role in the global economy. Over time, this builds a virtuous cycle: more talent stays, our institutions (both public and private) improve in quality and reputation, and South Africa becomes a knowledge hub in its own right.
- Economic Growth and Innovation: A well-educated workforce attracts investment. Companies, whether local startups or multinational corporations, are more likely to invest in a country that can supply skilled workers. Private higher education can contribute by rapidly scaling programs in high-demand fields – think about the potential of thousands more graduates in software engineering, green energy technology, or specialized nursing. These graduates can fill critical shortages and also spark entrepreneurship, starting new businesses that create jobs. Additionally, private universities often engage in applied research and innovation in partnership with industry. With less bureaucracy, they can sometimes move faster on projects (like prototyping a new agricultural technology or developing a local healthcare solution) that directly benefit communities. Such innovation is key to solving local problems without always importing ideas from abroad.
- Social Upliftment and Equity: Importantly, expanding higher education aligns with our social goals. South Africa’s youth unemployment is staggeringly high – over 30% overall, yet among those with a tertiary qualification it drops to single digits. Education is a proven pathway to employment, and every additional university seat can transform a young person’s life. Private institutions, by adding capacity, enable more students to pursue degrees or diplomas who would otherwise be turned away due to limited space in public universities. This has a ripple effect: more educated citizens means more people with the tools to lift themselves and their families out of poverty, reducing inequality over time. Of course, there’s a valid concern about affordability – many private institutions are perceived to be expensive. But here is where creative solutions (scholarships, income-sharing agreements, government subsidies or loan schemes extended to private institution students) can ensure that increased private provision doesn’t shut out the poor. The goal is to increase opportunities for all South Africans. By setting up funds or incentives for private providers to offer bursaries, or by allowing students at accredited private institutions to access state financial aid, we can make this growth inclusive. In the long run, the social returns – a more skilled, employed, and hopeful youth population – justify the investment.
A Constructive Path Forward: Partnership and Innovation
We should approach this shift not as privatization for its own sake, but as a partnership between public and private sectors. Here are a few ways to proceed constructively:
- Update Policies and Remove Barriers: Policymakers must revisit outdated regulations that limit private sector involvement. A prime example is the ban on private medical schools, which has clearly outlived its usefulness. By lifting such restrictions and creating a clear approval process for new private programs (especially in fields where shortages are dire), the government can unleash the potential of educational entrepreneurs and investors. Quality assurance should remain non-negotiable – every private program must meet the standards set by bodies like the Council on Higher Education, ECSA for engineering, the Health Professions Council for medical training, etc. The state’s role is to set the bar high and enforce it, while allowing more players to enter the field and to move away from a state only dogma. This kind of smart deregulation encourages innovation (new teaching models, curricula tailored to industry needs, maybe even new credentials like shorter technical certificates) without compromising standards.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Rather than working in silos, public universities and private institutions can collaborate. For instance, a public university with limited seats in a high-demand course could partner with a private higher education institution to offer a jointly accredited program, expanding access while sharing resources. There are already examples of universities partnering with provincial governments and the private sector in small ways to train more doctors. We should expand on these models. Imagine centers of excellence co-funded by government and industry at private campuses, focusing on areas like renewable energy engineering or advanced nursing. These centers could use public funding to subsidize research, while benefiting from the agility and industry connections of private players. Everyone wins: students get more options, the country gets more skilled professionals, and the cost is spread more sustainably.
- Leverage Distance and Online Learning: Private education providers, including those offering online degrees and diplomas, can reach students beyond the physical limitations of campuses. South Africa’s geography and unequal school quality mean many capable students in rural areas never make it to traditional universities. By investing in accredited online programs or blended learning (some in-person, some online), we can bring education to where people are. The state can support this by improving internet infrastructure and perhaps subsidizing data costs for students – a public good investment that benefits both public and private education delivery. Private institutions leading in e-learning can share best practices and platforms that even public institutions could adopt, especially after the remote-learning lessons of the pandemic.
- Focus on Critical Skills Development: Both sectors should align offerings with the country’s strategic needs. Government can periodically publish priority skills lists (they do, actually, but this could be more actively used) and offer incentives (tax breaks, grants) to institutions – public or private – that launch programs in those areas. If South Africa needs more renewable energy technicians, for example, help a private technical college set up a solar technology diploma. If cybersecurity is a growing concern, support an IT academy to produce certified experts. Steering private capital toward national goals ensures that self-reliance isn’t just a slogan but a targeted strategy. It’s encouraging to note that private education in Africa is growing rapidly, with one analysis valuing the sector at $50 billion and expecting strong growth in coming years. South Africa can ride this wave by guiding private investment into the areas of greatest national impact.
Encouraging Debate and Addressing Concerns
It’s important to invite debate on this shift, as not everyone will agree on the balance between public and private in education. Critics might worry that a larger private role could lead to commercialization of education, higher costs for families, or variable quality. These are valid points that must be tackled:
- Cost: Private education is often synonymous with high fees. We must discuss how to keep it affordable. Perhaps companies that desperately need more engineers or IT specialists can sponsor students (essentially treating education funding as an investment in their future workforce). NSFAS should stop as it is a misrepresentation of the need to educate. The state gives money to pay itself and in the process much goes to waste. Direct bursaries and funding should be applied where necessary and people should pay for education. That is a key tenet of productive use of education in society. Alternatively, regulatory concessions could be given to private providers that cap fees or offer a percentage of seats with reduced tuition. The conversation about cost is really a conversation about shared responsibility – families, government, and industry together ensuring no talent is left undeveloped due to poverty without creating future debt.
- Quality and Reputation: Some parents and students worry that private colleges are “second tier” or that qualifications won’t be respected by employers. This can be addressed by transparency and rigorous accreditation. If an institution meets the same outcomes and standards as a public university, it should enjoy a similar reputation. In fact, many private institutions in South Africa are already accredited and produce excellent graduates. Highlighting success stories (like private college alumni who become industry leaders, or innovative research coming out of a private university) can change perceptions. Moreover, a healthy competition between institutions can raise quality across the board – if a private law school, say, produces graduates with higher bar pass rates, it challenges all law faculties to up their game. The key is an independent monitoring system and public disclosure of performance indicators, so that “fly-by-night” low-quality operators are kept out and serious educators are celebrated.
- Equity and Inclusion: Some fear that a bigger private role might sideline historically disadvantaged groups if not managed properly. This is a crucial point for South Africa, given our past. Private providers must be part of the transformation agenda – which means admitting and supporting students of all backgrounds, hiring diverse faculty, and fostering inclusive campuses. The advantage is that private institutions, starting from scratch in many cases, have the opportunity to innovate on inclusion (for example, through targeted outreach scholarships for students from township schools, or mentorship programs to help first-generation college students). Public policy can encourage this by offering grants or recognition for those that excel in widening access. In short, privatization does not have to mean elitism; it can be a catalyst for new inclusive models, provided we keep equity at the center of the conversation.
By openly addressing these concerns in a national debate, we can shape a private education sector that complements public universities and aligns with South Africa’s values. Silence or polarization on this issue would be the real danger – constructive debate will help refine the strategy.
Conclusion: A Call to Action for a Self-Reliant Education Revolution
South Africa’s future in an increasingly self-reliant world hinges on our ability to educate and empower our own people. We can no longer afford to treat private higher education as a sideshow. It’s time for policymakers, educators, industry leaders, parents, and students to come together and forge a new path. This Op-Ed is not an argument to abandon public universities – it’s a call to strengthen and expand our entire higher education system through partnership and innovation.
To Policymakers: We urge you to act with courage and vision. Modernize the regulations to facilitate the growth of quality private universities and colleges. Fund pilot programs and partnerships that integrate private capacity into national plans. Set bold targets: for example, aim to double the number of engineers and doctors produced annually within the next decade, and lay out the policy framework to get us there with help from private institutions. Ensure that your plans to reform higher education are communicated clearly to the public, so everyone understands the benefits and the safeguards.
To Private Educators and Investors: Step up to the challenge of nation-building. South Africa needs you to invest not just for profit, but for prosperity. Build institutions and programs that you would be proud to send your own children to. Work with accreditation bodies from day one and strive for excellence that rivals the best universities in the world. In critical fields (from mining engineering to pediatric nursing), identify gaps and propose solutions. The market opportunity is coupled with a moral opportunity: to transform lives and communities while building a business. Seize that opportunity.
To Parents and Students: Keep an open mind about the changing education landscape. A private university or college may offer your child a pathway to success that a crowded public university cannot. Judge institutions by their track record, their accreditation, and their outcomes – not simply by whether they are public or private. Demand transparency and quality from all educators. By voicing your needs and concerns, you can help shape a system that works for you. Support reforms that expand choices and capacity, because ultimately more opportunities in higher education mean a brighter future for the next generation.
South Africa can either rise to the occasion or risk falling behind as other nations double down on cultivating their talent. Embracing a larger role for private higher education is not a panacea, but it is a practical and necessary strategy to ensure we produce the engineers to build our cities, the doctors to heal our people, and the professionals to innovate in our industries – with our own resources, for our own development.
In a world where every country is looking inward to secure its future, let us not be left on the outside. By rethinking and reforming our higher education strategy today, we empower South Africans to create and own the future tomorrow. This is a call to action we must not ignore.
Call to Action: It’s time for South Africa to harness all its educational assets in service of national self-reliance. Let public debate turn into concrete policy. Let policy enable new institutions and partnerships. And let those, in turn, produce a generation of home-grown graduates whose skills and ideas will fuel our nation’s progress. Our collective destiny depends on the choices we make now. Let’s choose to educate, innovate, and stand on our own. South Africa’s higher education revolution cannot wait.
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