Pretoria, 20 Aug-(ANA)-Vice-chancellors from South Africa's tertiary institutions have said that growing numbers of university enrolments would not mean more graduates because of shocking literacy rates of school leavers.
Results of a pilot national benchmark test showed that only seven percent of first year students had proficiency in mathematics, less than 25 percent are fully quantitatively literate and more than 50 percent require assistance.
The report said most of them do not have the literacy skills needed to succeed without help, an enormous strain on universities to re-train primary and secondary level skills at tertiary level.
Professor Theuns Eloff, representing Higher Education South Africa (HESA) vice-chancellors, told parliament that most could not read, write or comprehend.
The South African government has pushed universities to increase enrolments, which have been growing at about five percent a year, and to produce more science and engineering graduates. (ANA)
Amnesty/Report