Concerns over curricula in relation to the transition from basic to higher education has persisted over time. Research has repeatedly revealed that basic education and higher education don’t appear to deliver their curricula in sync, and for years, many education critics have bemoaned this issue. The high dropout rate, particularly at the first-year level, is attributed, according to Do Reis et al. (2019), to the fact that several studies conducted both nationally and globally continue to demonstrate that learners are not being effectively prepared in schools to handle the demands of higher education. Williams (2017) argues that too many learners these days are graduating high school without a real, clear path to success at the university. Nearly half of university students graduate high school without having ever taken any sort of university readiness course of study; which is still a phenomenon in South Africa. Browning and Sheffield (2008) also argue that school education is no longer designed for learners’ preparation for university. The academic challenges first-year students encounter in higher education institutions serve as a clear indication of this. This article is to give guidance on how to achieve academic parity and close the intellectual gap between basic education and higher education in South Africa.
The basic education curriculum needs to be radically transformed in order to produce a breed of capable students who will successfully graduate from university! The basic education curriculum should be consistent with the higher education curriculum. Basic education must refrain from providing the learners with unnecessary content, begin self-reflection, examine what the universities require, and align itself in congruence with that. It is already clear that there is a gap between the curriculum levels for basic and higher education as first-year students can hardly reference sources correctly. Reference should be taught in high school. As institutions of higher learning demand a high level of citing the sources a student has utilized to produce the needed work, this is becoming more and more important. The work is only considered “quality work” if it includes citations. This forces basic education to incorporate this important aspect of teaching and learning in their curriculum.
Do Reis (2019) cites a 2008 Australian study by Alcock, Cockcroft, and Finn that highlights the discovery that the university’s introductory accounting course and the schools’ accounting curriculum were in line, therefore the association was expected. This study is revealing how to bridge the gap and appropriately reform curriculum to benefit both learners and students. That is why the argument here would be that basic education subjects should be at a higher education level of difficulty. This further indicates the necessity to review the progression standards from 30% back to 50% for every subject. The more this conversation is deemed “toxic” and “demanding too much” the more the curriculum education system of South Africa collapses .
Because of this, this discussion does not consider whether or not basic education prepares learners for the workforce. This is a hypothetical discussion because it is obvious that basic education still struggles to connect its curriculum with higher education, which is where the majority of students desire to enroll after matriculation. In agreement, Naidoo (2023) asserts that the transition from high school to university is challenging due to the continuing curriculum gap between high school and university mathematics. Because of this, universities experience high failure and attrition rates as well as low throughputs. This claim may be relevant to math, but it also serves as a barometer for the general curricular disengagement in both basic and higher education. Again, this highlights the long-standing problems with South Africa’s curriculum.
It seems that academic independence and drive need to be taught, as they cannot merely be indirectly taught to learners in high school by making them work on their assignments independently. One method, maybe as a start, is to devote a substantial chapter in the Life Orientation textbook to discussing academic bravery and independence. This would be done purposefully to get students ready to take on the pressure of their university coursework head-on, fail, and succeed. However, a lot is inevitably going to go wrong when such crucial abilities and attitudes are undervalued and ignored. This is how curriculum change is accomplished. The curriculum has been changed in an effort to better match learners with the realities of the outside world through authentic teaching and learning. Because of this, the adage “Education is irrelevant if it answers the question nobody asked” (Fuller, 1967) is still applicable to the current state of South African education.
Arguments like these prompted the development of the Personalized Education Curriculum System (PECS). Rooted in a humanistic approach and drawing from quality curriculum theory and competency-oriented education, PECS focuses on practical assessments to gauge students’ relevant skills, aptitudes, and values essential for navigating modern society effectively. PECS emerged as a response to dissatisfaction with the modernist curriculum system in South Africa, akin to the birth of postmodernism. It seeks to rescue learners from a curriculum that lacks progressive elements and fails to provide differentiated learning suitable for all students. Similar to the historical advent of progressivism, PECS acts as a disruptive and qualitative curriculum system aimed at resolving the confusion stemming from curriculum inconsistencies. PECS intends to restore the worth and respect of the education system by rendering it responsive to societal needs through a curriculum rooted in liberal education principles. A unique aspect of PECS is its emphasis on affording learners’ insights into the working world during their schooling years. This distinct feature underscores the relevance and inspiration that PECS offers to the educational community of South Africa and the broader African context. This perspective envisions an improved education system achieved through the implementation of such an approach.
Know more about PECS: https://simnandisolutions.co.za/personalized-education/
– Click on PECS PowerPoint presentation.
Please answer these 3 questions and submit them: https://simnandisolutions.co.za/pecs – Questionnaires
Cite this publication: XABA, S.S. 2023. Striking effective academic transition from basic to higher education – Curriculum perspective. https://simnandisolutions.co.za/post/
Bibliography
Williams, A. 2017. High Schools Are Failing to Prepare Students for College. https://studybreaks.com/college/college-3-2/. Date of Access:19 September 2023.
Naidoo, C. 2023. High school learners underprepared for critical foundational university mathematics courses. https://www.usaf.ac.za/high-school-learners-underprepared-for-critical-foundational-university-mathematics-courses/. Date of Access: 15 September 2023.
Fuller, F.F. 1970. Personalized education for teachers. An introduction for teacher educators. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED048105.pdf. Date of Access: 18 September 2023
Browning, C. and Sheffield, S.L.2008 Practice makes perfect? University students’ response to a first year transition course. Learning and Teaching, Vol (1), pp: 22-27