CAPE TOWN - New anxious and excited faces are expected at some higher education institutions in the province as thousands of first-year students will attend their orientation day programme from Tuesday.
For UCT, registration and orientation commences today until February 11.
The university has received 98 800 applications, with more than 50 000 of them for first-time entering undergraduate students.
“The university can only make available about 4 000 for first-time entering undergraduate applicants. Once the registration window is complete, we will know how many offers were taken up and whether or not we have under-enrolment in any programme or in the institution as a whole,” said spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala.
Teaching and learning at UCT will begin on February 14.
UWC spokesperson Gasant Abarder said orientation was expected to begin next Monday.
“Registration is proceeding well. There were 110 000 applications for first time entry.
“UWC offers 4 500 first-time entry students a place. This number is agreed upon with and in consultation with the Department of Higher Education and Training,” he said.
Stellenbosch University (SU) spokesperson Martin Viljoen said the university received about 55 000 first year applications and made about 12 000 conditional offers.
“As was the case the last few years, SU can enrol about 5 500 first-year undergraduate students. Online registration has been in place for a number of years at SU and most students will be able to register for the 2022 academic year online. We do not expect large numbers of students who will register in person for the 2022 academic year.”
SU’s Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wim de Villiers, and the chairperson of the Student Representative Council (SRC) Viwe Kobokana are expected to welcome newcomer students in during a welcoming programme. Last year this ceremony was done virtually due to strict Covid-19 restrictions.
According to Viljoen, Covid-19 protocols will also be adhered to for on-campus registration for students who are without access to self-registration or who could not complete their registration via the email registration option.
Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s (CPUT) Lauren Kansley said they projected 7 695 first-years with 2 695 already enrolled.
“First Year Welcome will be an online event and it will be streamed in the coming week or so. Orientation happens in departments individually and (due to) Covid-19 not as the whole institution.”
Meanwhile Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande is expected today to brief the media on the state of readiness for the Post-School Education and Training sector for the 2022 academic year.
Cape Times