By Amanda Kay Montoya

Back in high school chemistry, I remember waiting with my bench partner for crystals to form on our stick in the cup of blue solution. Other groups around us jumped with joy when their crystals formed, but my group just waited. When the bell rang, everyone left but me. My teacher came over, picked up an unopened bag on the counter and told me, “Crystals can’t grow if the salt is not in the solution.”

To me, this was how science worked: What you expect to happen is clear and concrete. And if it doesn’t happen, you’ve done something wrong.

If only it were that simple.

It took me many years to realize that science is not just some series of activities where you know what will happen at the end. Instead, science is about discovering and generating new knowledge.

Now, I’m a psychologist studying how scientists do science. How do new methods and tools get adopted? How do changes happen in scientific fields, and what hinders changes in the way we do science?

One practice that has fascinated me for many years is replication research, where a research group tries to redo a previous study. Like with the crystals, getting the same result from different teams doesn’t always happen, and when you’re on the team whose crystals don’t grow, you don’t know if the study didn’t work because the theory is wrong, or whether you forgot to put the salt in the solution.

A May 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump emphasized the “reproducibility crisis” in science. While replicability and reproducibility may sound similar, they’re distinct.

Reproducibility is the ability to use the same data and methods from a study and reproduce the result. In my editorial role at the journal Psychological Science, I conduct computational reproducibility checks where we take the reported data and check that all the results in the paper can be reproduced independently.

But we’re not running the study over again, or collecting new data. While reproducibility is important, research that is incorrect, fallible and sometimes harmful can still be reproducible.

By contrast, replication is when an independent team repeats the same process, including collecting new data, to see if they get the same results. When research replicates, the team can be more confident that the results are not a fluke or an error.

The “replication crisis,” a term coined in psychology in the early 2010s, has spread to many fields, including biology, economics, medicine and computer science. Failures to replicate high-profile studies concern many scientists in these fields.

Why replicate?

Replicability is a core scientific value: Researchers want to be able to find the same result again and again. Many important findings are not published until they are independently replicated.

In research, chance findings can occur. Imagine if one person flipped a coin 10 times and got two heads, then told the world that “coins have a 20% chance of coming up heads.” Even though this is an unlikely outcome – about 4% – it’s possible.

Replications can correct these chance outcomes, as well as scientific errors, to ensure science is self-correcting.

For example, in the search for the Higgs boson, two research centers at CERN, the European Council for Nuclear Research, ATLAS and CMS, independently replicated the detection of a particle with a large unique mass, leading to the 2013 Nobel Prize in physics.

The initial measurements from the two centers actually estimated the mass of the particle as slightly different. So while the two centers didn’t find identical results, the teams evaluated them and determined they were close enough. This variability is a natural part of the scientific process. Just because results are not identical does not mean they are not reliable.

Research centers like CERN have replication built into their process, but this is not feasible for all research. For projects that are relatively low cost, the original team will often replicate their work prior to publication – but doing so does not guarantee that an independent team could get the same results.

When projects are costly, urgent or time-specific, independently replicating them prior to disseminating results is often not feasible. Remember when people across the country were waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine?

The initial Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine took 13 months from the start of the trial to authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. The results of the initial study were so clear and convincing that a replication would have unnecessarily delayed getting the vaccine out to the public and slowing the spread of disease.

Since not every study can be replicated prior to publication, it’s important to conduct replications after studies are published. Replications help scientists understand how well research processes are working, identify errors and self-correct. So what’s the process of conducting a replication?

The replication process

Researchers could independently replicate the work of other teams, like at CERN. And that does happen. But when there are only two studies – the original and the replication – it’s hard to know what to do when they disagree. For that reason, large multigroup teams often conduct replications where they are all replicating the same study.

Alternatively, if the purpose is to estimate the replicability of a body of research – for example, cancer biology – each team might replicate a different study, and the focus is on the percentage of studies that replicate across many studies.

These large-scale replication projects have arisen around the world and include ManyLabs, ManyBabies, Psychological Accelerator and others.

Replicators start by learning as much as possible about how the original study was conducted. They can collect details about the study from reading the published paper, discussing the work with its original authors and consulting online materials.

The replicators want to know how the participants were recruited, how the data was collected and using what tools, and how the data was analyzed.

But sometimes, studies may leave out important details, like the questions participants were asked or the brand of equipment used. Replicators have to make these difficult decisions themselves, which can affect the outcome.

Replicators also often explicitly change details of the study. For example, many replication studies are conducted with larger samples – more participants – than the original study, to ensure the results are reliable.

Registration and publication

Sadly, replication research is hard to publish: Only 3% of papers in psychology, less than 1% in education and 1.2% in marketing are replications.

If the original study replicates, journals may reject the paper because there is no “new insight.” If it doesn’t replicate, journals may reject the paper because they assume the replicators made a mistake – remember the salt crystals.

Because of these issues, replicators often use registration to strengthen their claims. A preregistration is a public document describing the plan for the study. It is time-stamped to before the study is conducted.

This type of document improves transparency by making changes in the plan detectable to reviewers. Registered reports take this a step further, where the research plan is subject to peer review before conducting the study.

If the journal approves the registration, they commit to publishing the results of the study regardless of the results. Registered reports are ideal for replication research because the reviewers don’t know the results when the journal commits to publishing the paper, and whether the study replicates or not won’t affect whether it gets published.

About 58% of registered reports in psychology are replication studies.

Replication research often uses the highest standards of research practice: large samples and registration. While not all replication research is required to use these practices, those that do contribute greatly to our confidence in scientific results.

Replication research is a useful thermometer to understand if scientific processes are working as intended. Active discussion of the replicability crisis, in both scientific and political spaces, suggests to many researchers that there is room for growth. While no field would expect a replication rate of 100%, new processes among scientists aim to improve the rates from those in the past.

Amanda Kay Montoya is an Associate Professor of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.

The Conversation

By Lungile Ntimba

A groundbreaking Centre for Advanced Training and Innovative Research (CATIR), which is aimed at strengthening South Africa’s scientific capacity and equipping young researchers with advanced skills, was launched in Pretoria.

The new facility will function as a specialised training hub, offering practical, hands-on experience in advanced molecular techniques and laboratory management, bridging the gap between academic theory and real-world scientific application.

Once fully operational, CATIR will have the capacity to train up to 160 students annually, with courses lasting five weeks. The first cohort of 20 students is expected to complete training before the end of the year.

The centre was established through a collaborative partnership involving the Science, Technology and Innovation Department, the SA Medical Research Council and Thermo Fisher Scientific, a United States-based company specialising in clinical and life sciences research. 

Speaking at the launch, Science, Technology and Innovation Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina said the centre was an important milestone in the country’s journey towards a knowledge-based economy.

“By investing in this centre, we are investing in the future of South African science, empowering our researchers, nurturing young talent and fostering an environment where innovation can thrive,” said Gina.

“This launch is especially significant as it aligns with our Decadal Plan 2022–2032, which aims to build a transformed, inclusive and coherent National System of Innovation that responds to the needs of society and the economy.”

Gina said SAMRC was a trusted project management partner, citing its proven track record in implementing capacity-building programmes that have benefited young scientists from historically under-resourced universities, including Zululand, Limpopo, Venda and Walter Sisulu.

SAMRC president and CEO Ntobeko Ntusi underscored the importance of investing in infrastructure and expertise that would assist in addressing local gaps in critical scientific fields.

“The Covid-19 pandemic taught us that we needed to do more to build skills in clinical and molecular testing to improve the resilience of our health system against the diseases of today and tomorrow. 

“The opening of this important new educational facility is a landmark moment in our journey to achieving this important goal,” said Ntusi.

The president of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Urmi Prasad Richardson, highlighted the significance of public-private collaboration in strengthening health systems.

“The opening of the CATIR demonstrates the importance of public-private partnerships in helping to build a more resilient health system in South Africa and underpins our mission to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer,” she said.

“Alongside the SAMRC, we are proud to be investing our time, resources and knowledge into this important new facility, to meet our shared goal of building locally relevant capabilities and expertise amongst the next generation of South Africa’s scientists.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng

Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has reiterated her appeal for a collective commitment in activating the skills revolution.

“We need a collective commitment from government, industry, business, civil society and the young people of this country to ignite a skills revolution,” Nkabane said. 

“Infrastructure alone cannot solve all these challenges.”

She was addressing the annual national student leadership induction programme for Student Representative Councils and the South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training Student Association (SATVETSA) at Buffalo City TVET College.

She praised SATVETSA’s robust and mature leadership, assuring them of full support from the department and the ministry. 

Nkabane also commended SATVETSA’s non-negotiable position on 50/50 gender parity and its efforts to tackle gender-based violence on college campuses.

“Our institutions should work together with student leaders in developing and implementing new policies and procedures that are aimed to better address sexual misconduct, intimidation, violence and promote programmes that will reduce gender-based violence in our campuses,” she said. 

The event was aimed at providing student leaders with a platform to share their lived experiences and improve teaching and learning programmes. 

The minister highlighted the importance of collective commitment to addressing challenges in the TVET sector and empowering student leaders to drive positive change.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube marked Nelson Mandela International Day with a dual event in Mpumalanga focusing on school infrastructure improvement and early childhood development (ECD) registration.

In a return to Boschrand Primary School in White River following a visit earlier this year, Gwarube presided over the official handover of a brand-new classroom block, built through the Classrooms4Hope initiative in partnership with Mozambique‘s Pipeline Investments Company, Ride4Hope and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

“When I first visited Boschrand in January, up to four learners were sharing a desk. Today, because of collaboration between government and our corporate partners, we hand over fully furnished classrooms that ensure a dignified and effective learning environment for all 1400 learners,” Gwarube said.

The event highlighted the crucial role of public-private partnerships in addressing infrastructure backlogs in underserved schools.

The new classrooms included attached storage facilities and furniture, directly addressing the overcrowding that had particularly impacted Grade R learners.

The project forms part of broader efforts to tackle infrastructure deficits in rural and township schools across South Africa.

Quoting Nelson Mandela, Gwarube said: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

She emphasised that despite budgetary constraints in the basic education sector, “our commitment to providing every South African child with access to quality education remains steadfast”.

Learners, parents, teachers and local officials gathered to celebrate as the keys to the new classrooms were officially handed over.

The moment marked the culmination of months of coordinated effort and a shared belief in education as a vehicle for social upliftment.

Gwarube underlined the transformative potential of tripartite partnerships.

“When government, civil society and the private sector work together with shared purpose, we can restore dignity, hope and opportunity through education,” she said.

Following the handover, Gwarube travelled to Early Bird Daycare in KwaMsholozi, where she hosted a lively and informative Bana Pele ECD Registration Clinic in collaboration with Takalani Sesame.

Children, educators and parents were treated to appearances by the programme’s iconic muppet characters and an interactive play zone.

The event aimed to promote awareness about the importance of ECD while driving formal registration of ECD centres nationwide.

“We want every child in South Africa to have a strong start, emotionally, cognitively and socially. And that begins with recognising and supporting the critical role of ECD practitioners,” Gwarube said.

The department’s goal is to register 10,000 ECD centres by the end of 2025.

The registration initiative serves four key functions including formal inclusion of ECD programmes in the national regulatory system, support for compliance with legal and safety standards, access to state subsidies, especially for centres serving low-income families, and efficient processing of registration applications to reduce administrative delays.

The clinic also offered parents and caregivers an opportunity to speak directly with officials about the benefits of formalising their centres and the support available from the department.

Gwarube praised ECD workers for their often unrecognised efforts and committed to ensuring that the department prioritised funding, training and resources for early learning facilities in under-resourced communities.

Meanwhile, Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule led the department’s Mandela Day outreach in Thembisa, Gauteng, visiting two local ECD centres, Silindokuhle Day and After Care Centre and My Angels Day and After Care Centre, alongside deputy director-general Simone Geyer and ward councillor Nomvula Malinga.

The centres received donations of educational toys and books aimed at enhancing cognitive development and sparking curiosity in young learners.

Mhaule began the day by reading books aloud to the children and encouraged staff to incorporate storytelling into their daily routines.

“Reading and listening to stories nurtures imagination, builds language skills, and lays the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. These early interactions with books are not optional, they are essential,” Mhaule said.

Mhaule reaffirmed the department’s broader objective of empowering ECD centres with resources, training and institutional support, stating that every child “deserves a joyful, safe and stimulating start to life”.

Across both provinces, the department hailed its Mandela Day activities as showcasing a coherent and impactful vision of building bridges between sectors, strengthening educational foundations, and honouring the legacy of Madiba through service to South Africa’s most vulnerable citizens, its children.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng

In a display of solidarity, Higher Education and Training Nobuhle Nkabane has led a peaceful protest march in Bhisho, Eastern Cape, alongside over 400 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) student leaders. 

The march was aimed at raising awareness about gender-based violence and femicide and the department’s commitment to fighting this pandemic.

“Safety is a prerequisite to learning, and we will not rest until all students can pursue their education without fear, harm or discrimination,” she declared during the march. 

“We believe that every student deserves a safe and supportive learning environment and we will work tirelessly to ensure that our institutions of higher learning are free from GBVF.”

The march was organised by the South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training Students Association (SATVETSA) and featured various civil society partners, including Higher Health, which is the department’s implementing agency for health and wellness. 

During the march, Higher Health deployed its mobile clinic, nurses and trained mental health professionals to provide services such as psychosocial support, counselling and referral assistance.

“We are committed to creating a culture of accountability, empathy and respect in our institutions of higher learning,” Nkabane said.

“We recognise that GBVF is a deeply rooted pandemic that affects not only individuals but also our entire society, and we will work with all stakeholders to address this challenge.”

She said the department was working at addressing GBVF through various initiatives.

They included the launch of the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) GBV Policy Framework in 2020 and the development of national protocols on topics such as rape response and campus safety. 

Nkabane added that the Higher Health has also been playing a leading role in operationalising systemic responses to GBVF throughout the PSET sector.

“We will continue to work with all stakeholders to create a society that values and respects the rights and dignity of all individuals,” Nkabane said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

In a spirited and ambitious budget vote speech, Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane presented a record R68 billion allocation for the 2025/26 financial year, asserting the department’s unwavering commitment to education transformation, dignity restoration and long-term socioeconomic development through learning.

Addressing the Gauteng provincial legislature on Thursday, Chiloane framed the budget not merely as a fiscal instrument, but as a “compact with the future”.

“This budget rewrites futures. It restores dignity. It accelerates transformation in every classroom. We are not just teaching subjects; we are developing citizens. Through this budget, we are building the leaders and innovators of tomorrow,” Chiloane said.

The budget represents a 4.9% increase from last year’s R64.8 billion, with 93.9% of the funds sourced from the equitable share and 6.1% from conditional grants, including a R4.1 billion injection.

The MEC highlighted that this investment supported over 2.83 million learners, 104,804 educators and 3317 institutions across the province.

Before unpacking the budget’s four strategic pillars, Chiloane celebrated the department’s two consecutive clean audits, underscoring financial discipline and accountability.

“These are not just accounting milestones. They are the bedrock of public trust,” he said, adding that the department’s spending rate above 99.9% reflected exceptional execution capability.

Chiloane spotlighted the story of Sis Nomsa, a resident of Kokotela in Lawley Extension 2, who transformed her informal creche into a fully registered early childhood development (ECD) centre through departmental support.

This strategy aligns with the newly enacted Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, which makes Grade R compulsory.

Of the R734 million budgeted, R399 million is earmarked for the ECD grant.

The aim is to universalise Grade R access in public schools, expand 0 to 4-year-old ECD programme coverage, train ECD practitioners to NQF Level 6 and support ECD centre registration and compliance.

Chiloane emphasised the long-term economic impact, stating that every rand invested in ECD yielded up to R13 in return.

This allocation supported academic excellence through literacy, maths, science and technical skills development.

Chiloane also spotlighted success stories from Lufhereng Secondary School, which achieved a 100% matric pass rate and 97% bachelor passes, and will now receive a permanent structure.

Raymond Mhlaba Secondary School was lauded for consistent improvement and as well as Musawenkosi Buthelezi from Kwa-Thema, the province’s top learner and a product of targeted township school interventions.

Key programmes include General Education and Training Language and Reading Improvement, Siyavula Maths and Science Practice Programme, which recorded 2.3 million practice exercises, Technical High School Strategy, and Further Education and Training Improvement Plan for Grades 10–12.

With the largest allocation, Chiloane said this strategy aimed to reimagine the educational environment through school modernisation and infrastructure upgrades; school reorganisation to improve performance and resource use; and multi-certification skills programme that equips learners with certificates in artificial intelligence, digital literacy, robotics, first aid and even driver’s licences.

Chiloane noted that Gauteng’s 36 Schools of Specialisation (SOS) were achieving both national and international acclaim.

Among the highlights, the MEC praised Soshanguve SOS’s electric car project winning silver at the African Public Service Day in Ethiopia; Lethabong SOS’s partnership with BMW Roslyn; and Katlehong SOS learners job-shadowing at Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes-Benz.

He also noted that over 60,000 learner devices had been distributed and significant progress made in ICT infrastructure and coding education.

Beyond academics, the MEC said this strategy promoted learner safety, psychosocial support and holistic development.

Key investments included deployment of security guards and community patrollers at 1500 schools and letters of thanks from schools like Qalabotsha and Tshepo ya Rona praising the positive impact of improved safety.

Chiloane also paid tribute to Noko Selepe, the principal of Primrose Primary School, who returned to work after surviving a shooting by a 13-year-old learner.

Selepe received the MEC’s Harry Gwala Excellence Award for resilience and leadership.

Other initiatives include a school nutrition programme serving 1.73 million learners daily, learner transport for 228,592 pupils, integration of sports, arts and culture, and expanded mental health and girl-child support initiatives.

Budget breakdown and outcomes include R52 billion (76.6%), a 7.1% rise for personnel, R2.8 billion for infrastructure and R6.66 billion in transfers and subsidies for public, special, independent and ECD institutions.

Chiloane pointed to key performance results including an 88.41% matric pass rate, with 50.27% bachelor passes; all 15 districts got above 80% for three consecutive years and three districts exceeded the 90% target.

Looking ahead, Chiloane said the department’s budget was on a stable growth trajectory, and it was expected to reach R72.9 billion by 2027/28, a 29.7% increase over six years.

He welcomed the average annual growth rate of 4.0% as supporting sustainable long-term planning and called on the legislature to endorse the budget as a collective investment in Gauteng’s future.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lungile Ntimba

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande is leading a high-level South African delegation on a working visit in Tunisia and Algeria this week to strengthen collaboration in science, technology and innovation (STI).

The visit, which ends on Thursday, follows invitations from Tunisian Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Mondher Belaid and Algerian Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Kamel Bidari.

“Through these visits, minister Nzimande seeks to reinforce existing science, technology and innovation bilateral cooperation between South Africa and Tunisia and Algeria, as part of a broader commitment to grow the size and intensity of intra-Africa STI cooperation for development,” the department said in a statement. 

The programme includes bilateral meetings with both countries’ ministers, as well as visits to leading science institutions.

In Tunisia, Nzimande is expected to tour the Borj Cedria Technopark, the Pasteur Institute of Tunis, the Bardo National Museum for Arts and the City of Science Museum.

In Algeria, he will visit the Centre for the Development of Advanced Technologies, Saad Dahlab University and the Great Mosque of Algiers.

Nzimande will also attend a guest lecture focusing on Pan-African cooperation.

“Our visit to Algeria and Tunisia forms part of our long-standing international relations strategy to strengthen meaningful science, technology and innovation cooperation with fellow African countries, and to advance the objectives of the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA),” Nzimande said.

“All our efforts are therefore aimed towards developing what we refer to as a sovereign science, technology, and innovation agenda for Africa.”

The visit will conclude with the adoption of two new comprehensive plans of action, aimed at intensifying cooperation with Tunisia and Algeria, respectively.

According to the department, these engagements represent a concrete step in advancing South Africa’s science diplomacy goals, as outlined by Nzimande during his recent budget vote speech.

Nzimande is accompanied by senior officials from the ministry, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the Technology Innovation Agency and the Council for Mineral Technology.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

The revival of school sports is not just a plan, but a firm commitment, according to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

“We believe that each child in school must be a child in sport,” Deputy Minister Peace Mabe told Parliament during the department’s budget vote on Tuesday.

The department has announced a strong focus on school sports in the 2025/26 budget, with over R125 million set aside to grow youth participation and develop future sports stars.

It has allocated R53.5 million to support 208 school sports programmes at the district level. This money will be used to boost local competitions and help improve school-based sports coordination. 

An additional R72 million has been set aside to ensure that 5000 learners can take part in the National Schools Sports Championship.

Mabe said this was being done in partnership with the Department of Basic Education. 

“We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which addresses the challenges that prevent the establishment of well-coordinated and seamless sports, arts and culture programmes,” she said.

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie also spoke about the importance of school sport during his speech. He warned that South Africa could not expect success at the Olympics if school sports was weak. 

“You cannot be competitive at the Olympics and elsewhere if school sport is not working,” he said.

He added that thousands of schools were already participating in school sport programmes, and many send teams to national championships.

He also thanked the First National Bank (FNB) for committing to invest in school sports. 

“I want to thank FNB who are about to put major investment into school sport for boosting league competition,” McKenzie said.

In addition to funding competitions, the department will use money from the R627 million conditional grant to buy equipment and attire for schools, hubs and clubs. 

This grant will also pay for training of coaches, referees and sport administrators.

“We are investing and cultivating our domestic talent,” the minister said, explaining that access and opportunity were key to unlocking the county’s full sporting potential.

However, not all MPs were convinced that the money was reaching learners fairly. 

Marlon Daniels of the Patriotic Alliance shared concerns after speaking to school netball players who had just competed in Cape Town. 

“They said… we have been wearing [this kit] since last week on Sunday. We only got one item to wear the whole week,” he said. 

He called on the minister to investigate how provincial governments were spending the funds meant for schools.

Despite this, Mabe remained confident that the school sport system was being rebuilt. 

“We made a commitment to revive school sports,” she said, assuring MPs that the department was serious about youth development and was working to remove the barriers that prevent children from participating.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to strategic, mutually beneficial global partnerships in higher education, while placing transformation and national interests at the centre of internationalisation efforts.

Providing an update to the National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP) Select Committee on Education and Creative Industries on Monday on the department’s framework for the internationalisation of higher education, Nkabane said global cooperation has enriched South Africa’s academic system. This was through enhancing capacity, knowledge production and competitiveness on the international stage.

“Collaboration with international institutions enables our system to draw on valuable insights, resources and best practices. It allows us to remain aligned with global standards while strengthening our capacity locally,” Nkabane said.

She said South Africa’s internationalisation strategy was aimed at enriching the higher education system while protecting national interests.

The department’s Policy Framework for the Internationalisation of Higher Education was implemented in January 2021, following years of fragmented international activity by institutions.

It provides a coordinated strategy for global academic partnerships, curriculum collaboration and research exchanges.

Priority is given to partnerships within the Southern African Development Community, then the rest of Africa, followed by BRICS, the Global South, and finally broader global institutions in alignment with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Deputy director-general for universities, Marcia Socikwa, elaborated that internationalisation was a “steered process” to integrate global dimensions into teaching, research and community engagement.

Institutions must meet stringent quality assurance requirements for joint degrees and ensure all partnerships are accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE).

Socikwa presented employment equity statistics from the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS), which show modest but uneven progress.

Black African representation among associate professors increased from 18% in 2019 to 22.97% in 2023. However, white academics still occupy 60% of full professorships, while Black Africans account for just 23.56%.

Gender disparities also persist. While lecturer positions show near parity, men dominate senior academic and managerial roles.

The department’s data shows that even among junior lecturers, previously a space of gender progress, men now outnumber women.

To address these imbalances, the department continues to invest in the University Capacity Development Programme.

Socikwa confirmed the department was reviewing why many African academics exited academia prematurely and committed to closely monitoring their progression.

The deployment of foreign academics in South Africa remains a contentious issue.

According to institutional reports, foreign nationals constitute roughly 12% of academic staff, especially in the hard sciences.

However, HEMIS data shows a lower rate of 4%, revealing inconsistencies in university reporting.

To improve transparency and compliance, the department is working with the departments of Labour, Home Affairs, and International Relations and Cooperation to cross-verify employment data and immigration documentation.

A Service Level Agreement is being developed to formalise inter-departmental collaboration by March 2026.

Higher Education also supports the Employment Services Bill, currently before Parliament, which proposes enforceable caps on foreign hires across all institutions.

Fraudulent qualifications and procurement-linked corruption remain a threat to academic integrity.

The department worked with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and SAPS to bring the matter to light.

The department’s deputy director for university research support and policy development, Idah Makukule, reported that the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Amendment Bill would introduce stronger penalties for academic fraud and improve the oversight of joint degrees.

She said that all international programmes must meet local quality assurance standards through the CHE, SAQA and partner verification.

Makukule also discussed the evolution of “internationalisation at home”, including virtual exchange programmes and curriculum decolonization, as a strategy to equip South African students with global competencies without necessitating physical mobility.

In response to parliamentary queries, the department committed to updating its systems to capture this information and ensure compliance with the national 3% disability employment target.

The department further pledged to enforce stricter reporting compliance among universities, standardise foreign staff data submissions and close loopholes that allow institutions to bypass regulatory scrutiny.

Members of the Select Committee welcomed the department’s transparency, but raised concerns about the slow pace of transformation, inconsistencies in data and the risk of foreign-dominated academia.

MPs called for clear timelines, stronger disciplinary action against non-compliant institutions and more direct support for young South African scholars.

Nkabane reaffirmed the department’s dual commitment to global excellence and local equity.

“Our institutions must reflect the demographics of our country and serve our national development goals. We will not allow internationalisation to undermine transformation,” she said.

The Select Committee pledged continued oversight and expects a follow-up report on policy implementation, staffing audits, and progress on disability inclusion in the months ahead.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Nobu

By Johnathan Paoli

As the 2026 academic year approaches, the Higher Education and Training Department is intensifying its national campaign against bogus colleges.

According to a register of private higher education institutions provided by the department, there are more than 100 bogus colleges across the country. They thrive for a number reasons, including a desperation for affordable education and a lack of awareness amongst students and parents.

This week, Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Mimmy Gondwe is in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape where she is leading a multi-stakeholder intervention aimed at rooting out illegal institutions exploiting unsuspecting students.

“These illegal colleges not only rob students and their families of their hard-earned money, but they deny them the opportunity to attain legitimate qualifications. We are acting decisively to end this exploitation,” she said on Monday.

“That is why we have involved law enforcement agencies like SAPS (SA Police Service) and the NPA (National Prosecuting Authority), as well as quality assurance councils such as Umalusi and SAQA.”

Buffalo City, which is home to Walter Sisulu University, various TVET colleges and numerous private institutions concentrated in the East London city centre, has emerged as a hot spot for fraudulent colleges.

It is for this reason that the metro has been identified as the latest focus area of the bogus colleges’ awareness campaign, which was launched by the department earlier this year.

Joined by representatives from the SAPS, the NPA, Umalusi, SAQA, the Department of Home Affairs, and the Department of Employment and Labour, Gondwe and her team visited four private colleges.

At three of these institutions, they uncovered serious concerns related to infrastructure and programme accreditation.

Gondwe announced that the department was in the process of signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the SAPS to formalise collaboration in identifying and shutting down bogus institutions. It is expected to be signed by the end of the year.

“The MOA will also support our efforts to address gender-based violence on campuses and improve student safety. We cannot do this alone. We need the full support of government institutions to clean up the higher education space,” she said.

Gondwe said that complaints from students and parents were often the first indication of fraudulent activity.

Once flagged, the department investigates the institutions and hands over a list of suspected illegal operators to SAPS, which then conducts background checks and initiates profiling.

Non-compliant colleges are first issued a formal warning to comply. If they continue to operate unlawfully, legal proceedings are initiated.

“Our partnership with SAPS dates back to April 2025 when I met with the National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, to discuss collaboration on this issue. We’re now building on that commitment to act against those who undermine the credibility of our education system,” Gondwe said.

While private institutions were welcomed in South Africa’s higher education sector, they must comply with the Higher Education Act of 1997 and the Continuing Education and Training Colleges Act of 2006, she said.

Also, public and private colleges must be registered with the department and offer qualifications accredited by recognised quality assurance bodies, including Umalusi, the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO).

Their programmes must align with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) of 2008.

“At the start of this year, our public system of 26 universities and 50 TVET colleges could not meet the demand for placements. Private colleges help close that gap, but they must operate legally and uphold standards,” Gondwe said.

According to the department, the institutions inspected included the Academy of Business and Computer Studies, now renamed Academic of Training and Development, which allegedly no longer offered National Certificate Vocational (NCV) qualifications previously approved by the department.

The Cyber College of Business and Technology was allegedly offering matric rewrite programmes without the required accreditation.

The department and its partners have pledged to follow up on non-compliance issues and initiate enforcement actions where necessary.

The bogus colleges awareness campaign was launched in Johannesburg in February and extended to Durban in March.

INSIDE EDUCATION