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Higher Education News South Africa

University students prefer sciences to arts

Sowetan Live reports that, after years of students being encouraged to study science and technology at university, fewer South Africans are now studying for degrees in the humanities. Research by the Academy of Sciences of South Africa (Assaf) last year indicated that while enrolments in the sciences were going up, they have been stagnant in the humanities for about 15 years.

Assaf research shows that the enrolment of students in higher education increased on average by 2.6% every year from 1996 (509000 students) to 2008 (799000).

At the same time, enrolments in the humanities (excluding enrolment in education), decreased from 273000 to 215000 in the same 13-year period - an average annual decline of 2.0%. In 2008, 112000 undergraduate students registered to study law, public administration, psychology, communication and economics. Only 9% of undergraduate students enrolled for anthropology, dance, drama, music, history, Afrikaans, African languages and philosophy.

Funding has also been a problem for students. From 1996 to 2008, funding decreased by 13% and enrolments declined on average 2% every year in the same 13 years, against an overall increase in tertiary enrolment of 2.6% every year in the same period.

Read the full article on www.sowetanlive.co.za.
For more information, go to www.assaf.org.za.

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