Equity in changing patterns of enrolment, in learner retentionand success at the Cape Technikon1

This article will show that whilst there has been much progress in opening up access for black students to higher education, this has not involved equity of opportunity for black students to enrol for programmes that will enhance employment opportunities and upward social mobility. In addition, opening up access has not always been accompanied by strategies to provide adequate and appropriate forms of support for all students. The article is divided into three sections: The first analyses the extent to which equity of access has been achieved within the Cape Technikon. The second describes an investigation into factors impacting on learner performance, which was undertaken by the Cape Technikon during 2001. The third sets out the key findings of this investigation. This article illustrates that many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have adopted new sets of core values, which they believe should underpin the philosophy and activities of their institutions. However, changing the ethos of the institutions in line with the newly adopted core values in a way that they impact fundamentally on the curriculum and the scholarship of the institution clearly remains a basic challenge. This article highlights the need to address the kind of knowledge and skills that staff need in order to design and deliver transformed curricula whilst designing and implementing comprehensive integrated learner-centred support strategies to ensure learner success and retention. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 19 (2) 2006: pp.274-29