DYR 1051 would like to thank each and every female that participated…even the males that pretended to be females.

Here, therefore, are the FINALISTS:

1. Sade Wagner – Glenmore
2. Rethabile “Thabi” Hlalele – Morningside
3. Jifa Azumah – Southbeach
4. Chanell Delport – Hillary
5. Slindile “Slix” Xhakaza – Musgrave
6. Nomfundo “Too Bit ” Mncwango – uMlazi
7. Monique “Mow” Berlion – Durban North
8. Michell MacPhershon – Hillcrest
9. Faith ” Besim” Mzobe – Toti
10. Elaine “Lainey” Mulder – Overport

They will be placed in different shows across our 24 broadcast schedule for 3 months.

As our loyal listener, you too can participate in the FINAL selection of the Top 5 by emailing your reviews to onair@dyr1051.co.za

“Parents, learners and even teachers mistakenly think that Matric is the most important year of schooling, yet Grade 11 is just as important and these years should not be considered as separate milestones, but rather as a 2-year event,” says Nola Payne, Head of Faculty: Information and Communications Technology at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest private higher education provider.

The reason for this is because many institutions – whether public universities or private institutions – make provisional offers for admission based on Grade 11 results, she says. Therefore, learners should give Grade 11 their best effort, and not wait until next year to throw their hats into the application ring.

“Applications for university open in the March of your matric year, but because this is too early for you to have any meaningful matric marks, institutions often use the exam marks from your Grade 11 year as an indicator of your ability to succeed in the course,” says Payne.

“Therefore, if you did not put enough effort into your Grade 11 exams and have the mindset that you will delay the hard work and study until Matric, you may be unpleasantly surprised to find out that it is already too late.”

Payne says that many learners have in the past been disappointed when they receive rejection letters in their Matric year, which would then require them to put in even more effort to improve their marks to a level where they might have a better shot at acceptance.

Additionally, learners often underestimate the difficulty of Grade 11, under the mistaken impression that the real challenges will only follow a year later.

“The work is just as – if not more – challenging than Grade 12, which is often regarded as a revision year. A lot of content is delivered in Grade 11 and can become overwhelming if you don’t resolve early on to keep up and master things as soon as possible,” she says.

Payne notes that higher education institutions usually give one of three replies to applications submitted based on Grade 11 marks:

• Provisionally accepted
• Waiting list
• Rejected

“Once rejected, it is very difficult to have your application re-evaluated, even if your Grade 12 marks have improved dramatically, and especially for those courses which are in high demand,” she says.

However learners whose applications in their Grade 11 year are rejected do have some options left to them, notes Payne.

These include:

• Applying for the same or similar course at a different institution which may still have space available;
• Applying for a different type of qualification at the same institution, for instance instead of applying for a degree course, applying for higher certificate or diploma in the same field, or a degree qualification in a similar field, and
• Working on improving school marks, particularly when placed on a waiting list.

“The waiting list is often a ‘cream of the crop’ selection which is applied once results are known. So  if there are 100 people on the waiting list and your marks are in the top 10, you have a better chance of being accepted,” says Payne.

She warns that Grade 11 is usually not identified early enough as the year when delivery of content assessed in the Matric exams begins, and that Matric final exams often contain more Grade 11 content than that which is covered in Grade 12.

“Learners will find that many of their Grade 12 months are spent practising and revising Grade 11 work. Additionally, exams throughout Grade 11 will mirror the types of assessments one can expect in the final assessment.

“In addition to ensuring timeous placement in a field of study at one’s institution of choice, working hard in Grade 11 also means that learners are able to make the best of the opportunity to practise the study and exam writing skills that will allow them to give the performance of their lifetime when the Matric exams roll around.”

Dr Felicity Coughlan, Director of The Independent Institute of Education, says the general public is increasingly becoming more aware of the benefits of pursuing a degree or other qualification through a private higher education institution, despite the fact these institutions are legally not allowed to call themselves private universities.

“People are beginning to understand that public universities and private institutions are subject to the same oversight and regulation, which means that you will be getting the same quality education regardless of whether you opt for a state-funded university or a private institution.

“Having said that, it is of course very important to still check on individual institutions and choose yours wisely, because just like the quality varies between universities, with some ranked top in Africa and even the world, while others are beset with serious challenges, in the same way quality varies between the offering at different private institutions,” she says.

Coughlan points out that with the realisation that prospective students can pursue the same qualifications and degrees at private institutions, registered and accredited in the same way as those at public universities, there has been a consistent and substantial increase in students who opt for private higher education over the past five years.

“Although some have ascribed this to the challenges in the public sector, students are specifically choosing private study for a number of pull reasons, rather than push factors from the public sector.”

Coughlan says that while some prospective students have very specific reasons for electing to study at a university, based on their unique needs, requirements or background, others are increasingly opting for private study due to one (or a combination of) the following factors:

• Not needing to relocate to a new city in order to pursue their dreams is a big drawcard for some, while also being easier on the pocket.
• With smaller campuses and classes, access to support and staff is vastly improved, as is interaction with fellow students.
• Because a large percentage of lecturers are not only academics but actively working in their industries, students get up close and personal with the real world of work and opportunities while still studying.

• As private higher education institutions receive no state subsidies, they are reliant on student fees, which means that students are treated as valued customers, and generally receive good service. Additionally, if they do not offer value for money and a credible, quality educational offering, they face having to close their doors.
• Many private institutions offer niche qualifications that are not available elsewhere, and equip students for emerging careers such as game development.

“Success rates are generally much better in smaller environments, because it is easier to access help and support timeously when needed,” says Coughlan, “which means that students usually complete their degrees within the prescribed period, and enter the workplace sooner than others who may have to repeat one or more years.”

She adds that because employability is a key success factor for private higher education institutions, most qualifications offered are closely related to the requirements of the career in the real world of work, and an increasing number of career focused postgraduate qualifications are becoming available.

The tools of the higher learning trade also look different in the private sector.

“Assessments can be more interesting, because the marking load on lecturers is lower so there is less reliance on things like multiple choice questions. Additionally, technology use is often flexible and tailored to student needs, because it is possible to do that in flexible environments.”

In the end, prospective students must ensure they investigate all their options – in the public sector, in the private sector and by course offering.

“Things have moved on significantly from the days when the only credible qualification was a 3-year degree from a public university,” says Coughlan.

“Parents, schools and teachers should assist learners in their process of identifying everything offered on the higher educational buffet before making one of the most important decisions they will ever make.”