Across South Africa, thousands of successful matriculants are about to embark on a new and
vital stage of their educational journey. It’s widely recognised that gaining some kind of tertiary
education enhances young people’s opportunities to find fulfilling work and meet their future
career and life goals. A 2021 survey conducted by SACAP (The South African College of
Applied Psychology) amongst almost 1000 parents who are members of the popular The Village
parenting community on Facebook, found that 83% of the parents of high school learners
believe that tertiary education would improve their child’s employability.
The decisions around what to study and where to study are serious ones for a family. Factors
such as accreditation, costs, quality, closeness to home and safety are always important
concerns for parents. However, our pandemic experience over the past two years has raised
other issues for parents and students needing to make tertiary education decisions in the next
few months. Janine Kendall, Counselling Psychologist and SACAP’s Head of Teaching and
Learning: Education Recruitment says, “What came out of our research is that parents are
uncertain and concerned for their children’s tertiary education journey as a result of the
pandemic and general environmental challenges. Parents and guardians want to be confident
that the tertiary institution they select with their matriculants, delivers on robust academic quality
with practical skills, provides a safe environment and offers the support to nurture students in
uncharted waters. As they have closely supported their high school learners through
disruptions, lockdowns and threats of illness, parents have a keener awareness at this time of
the value in their children developing resilience and agility so that they cope during uncertain
and challenging times.”
Researching, considering and applying to tertiary institutions along with your child works best by
following an agreed process, where roles and responsibilities, and where the power lies in
decision-making are clear upfront. Itemising your priorities when it comes to what you want
from the institution can expand the criteria you and your child will use to evaluate, which
supports optimal decision-making. For instance, the quality, breadth and depth of student
support services offered may be important for new students who require input and reassurance
as they embark on their studies. Educational philosophy and institutional values may be
important to some parents who want their children growing up to be agile thinkers and
appropriately flexible in a world that is becoming increasingly uncertain and volatile. Kendall
says, “It was interesting to find in our research that many parents were not just concerned about
academic rigour, but also want to see their children gain practical skills through their tertiary
studies. This is a shift in today’s parents who are recognising that tertiary institutions need to
help students become work-ready and that their study experience needs to build real-life
competencies as well as academic knowledge. SACAP is very well placed to deliver on these
needs and to ensure that our graduates are able to respond and adapt to challenging
environments as they grow in their career.”
SACAP, which offers accredited degree programmes in Applied Psychology, Management &
Leadership, and Social Work & Community Development, has a keen focus on innovative
teaching and content styles for educating agile thinkers for the future. That institutional agility
was put into practice over the pandemic years, when SACAP has kept every student always on
track with their studies with very few interruptions and delays. SACAP also has one of the most
comprehensive and holistic student support services offered in South Africa.
SACAP Registrar, Claire Du Plooy says, “I have had the privilege of studying in various Higher
Education private and public institutions, and I have never seen or experienced student support
and development in quite the way SACAP offers it. SACAP recognizes that academics is one
part of the student's life and journey, but that their academic success also relies on their
emotional and psychosocial wellbeing. The focus is therefore on the holistic student, from
academics to emotional support to student life. I think the one thing that sets SACAP’s student
support and development apart is that I genuinely believe that each member of the team has a
passion for students, for their growth and for their success. Practically, what this looks like is the
availability of individual and group counselling support, individual and group academic support,
various workshops, online interventions, social events, advocacy and leadership opportunities,
peer-support, and support and genuine care of our students on their academic journey.”
This is designed with the needs and wants of Gen Z students particularly in mind as a
generation which values input, mentoring and close support as they develop the all-round skills
and particular 4iR skills-sets that will help set them up for work success.
Kendall concludes, “Parents and their matriculants need to take a range of factors into
consideration as they seek a good match between their child’s learning style, strengths and
challenges, as well as their career goals. Tertiary education is a whole-of-life, absorbing
experience, and each aspect of this plays a role in the outcomes of their child’s studies.”
To find out more visit: www.sacap.edu.za