Page 15 - Interface February 2026
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Institutions that understand student reality,
across ages and stages, can explain
clearly how they support learners before
pressure becomes a crisis.
WHO IS ACTUALLY DOING THE TEACHING?
Behind every qualification is a lecturer,
or a team of lecturers, responsible for
turning content into learning. Qualifications
and experience matter. But so does
engagement, responsiveness, and an WHY QUALITY AND GOVERNANCE MATTER
understanding of who is sitting on the other Accreditation, assessment moderation, and academic integrity
side of the desk or screen. may sound bureaucratic, but they quietly protect the value of the
qualification, and the effort invested in earning it.
“Adult learners bring professional
experience, practical questions, and “Quality systems aren’t about red tape,” says Landman. “They exist to
limited time. Parents want reassurance ensure fairness, credibility, and consistency, whether you’re studying
that lecturers are not only knowledgeable, full-time straight out of school or part-time while working.”
but attentive and accountable. Strong
institutions support their lecturers to teach Institutions that take quality seriously are open about how these
well, and they take student feedback systems work and why they matter.
seriously,” says Landman.
One of the clearest signals is the quality of service of an institution.
WORKING WITH REAL-WORLD REALITIES
Few people still believe that a How quickly are emails answered? Are queries met with empathy
qualification alone guarantees a career. or deflection? Is communication clear, honest, and respectful of
Parents worry about employability and people’s time? Over time, these everyday interactions reveal whether
adult students worry about relevance. an institution is designed around systems, or around students with
Both are asking the same underlying real lives.
question: Will this programme help me
adapt to a changing world? “Higher education is not a transaction. It’s a commitment - of time,
energy, and belief in a better future. Parents may not walk the journey
“Curricula should not be static documents. for their children. Adult learners may not have the luxury of starting
They should evolve with industry, over if things go wrong. In both cases, the choice of institution matters
technology, and society. Institutions deeply,” Landman says.
committed to quality review their
programmes regularly, involve industry “When looking at your options, understand that the strongest
voices, provide work integrated learning institutions are not defined by the loudest claims. They are defined by
opportunities, and assess students in ways their willingness to answer difficult questions openly, thoughtfully, and
that reflect real-world complexity, not just without hesitation. And it is in asking those questions, early, calmly,
academic theory,” says Landman. “The aim and with intention, that both parents and adult learners move beyond
is capability, not just completion.” the brochure and towards a decision that truly supports success.”
Recent developments in national higher education policy are
helping to bring greater clarity for prospective South African
students. The Department of Higher Education and Training’s
policy on the recognition of institutional types is designed to
ensure that different kinds of higher education institutions are
clearly defined, appropriately regulated, and transparent
about what they are established to offer. For students
and families navigating an increasingly complex higher
education landscape, this clarity will support more
informed decision-making, helping them choose
institutions that are aligned with their academic goals,
life circumstances, and preferred mode of study,
rather than relying on assumptions or labels. Policy
implementation can only proceed once regulations
are published.
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