With regard to the tertiary education level, the first outcome that is desired is a significant increase in the number of black students who enrol for under- and postgraduate programmes in the accountancy field. However, the success of the intervention will be measured by the number of these students who pass and achieve degrees at both levels. To further this goal, mentoring and assistance will be offered to black students at tertiary education institutions.
Current situation / challenges
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Recommended activities
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| • | Poor throughput pass percentages at undergraduate and postgraduate levels amongst black students: |
| o | Financial pressure and other related factors increases the dropout level |
| o | A lack of funding leads to many black students studying on a part-time basis, which in turn means that they take longer to obtain a tertiary qualification or may not obtain such a qualification at all |
| o | Lack of an effective learning model - may students work hard, but not effectively |
| o | Lack of mentoring and monitoring of students contribute to a high dropout level and poor throughput pass percentages |
| o | Students have lack of exposure to business skills |
| o | A focus primarily on technical skills, which leave students unprepared for other skills in their business lives |
| • | Historically black institutions are still unable to achieve accreditation |
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| • | To widen the scope of tertiary education to include skills training and socio-economic coping mechanisms |
| • | To increase the number and quality bursaries for the development of black CAs and to provide more and better supervision to bursary holders |
| • | To promote interaction with black CAs to promote ways in which they can become involved in the mentoring process at undergraduate level |
| • | To implement an 'Adopt a Student'/vacation work programme as early as possible in students' educational careers to expose them to business practices |
| • | To implement a formal programme for qualified black CAs to lecture at universities |
| • | To increase mentoring/assistance by SAICA to non-accredited universities to help them obtain the necessary accreditation |
| • | To maintain high standards among all tertiary institutions |
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