Women reshape access to higher education a decade after #FeesMustFall

Ten years after #FeesMustFall challenged the cost and accessibility of higher education, women are increasingly influencing what access to tertiary education looks like in South Africa.

Figures from the Department of Higher Education and Training show that women account for 62.7% of university enrolments and 65.4% of graduates nationally.

Their representation is even higher among distance-learning students, where women make up 72.6% of enrolments, compared with 58.7% in contact-mode programmes.

The figures point to a changing higher education landscape, with flexible learning becoming an increasingly important option for students who cannot easily access or afford traditional campus-based education.

South Africa continues to face significant pressure on the capacity of its public higher education system. In 2024, about 526,000 matriculants obtained the minimum qualification required for university admission, while universities and TVET colleges combined had capacity for approximately 372,000 students.

For those who secure places, financial pressures remain a major obstacle. Student debt across South African universities is estimated at R24 billion, while rising accommodation costs add further strain to students and their families.

Distance and online learning can help address some of these barriers by reducing the need for students to relocate, pay for campus accommodation or leave employment to attend classes.

Distance learning moves into the mainstream

Distance education has long been part of South Africa's higher education system, with UNISA serving hundreds of thousands of students through its distance-learning model.

However, technological developments have expanded the range of learning options available to students.

Online learning platforms have also attracted significant interest from South Africans. Coursera's Global Skills Report indicates that about 1.3 million South Africans use the platform, highlighting growing demand for learning opportunities outside traditional campus structures.

For women in particular, flexible education can provide an opportunity to balance studies with employment, family responsibilities and caregiving.

Rather than having to reorganise their lives around a fixed academic timetable, students can increasingly choose programmes that accommodate their existing commitments.

Demand for recognised qualifications

The shift is also extending beyond short courses, with students seeking full undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications that offer formal academic recognition while providing greater flexibility than traditional campus-based programmes.

Professor Rudi Boshoff, founder of Pretoria-based online tertiary provider Bridgewater Academic Institute, said students increasingly want qualifications that are both academically rigorous and recognised.

“Flexibility should not mean compromise,” Boshoff said.

Bridgewater Academic Institute, established in 2023, partners with international universities to provide accredited undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications through online learning.

The institute says its fees can be up to nearly 50% lower than comparable market rates and has introduced a bursary initiative aimed at students who may struggle to afford tertiary education.

The growing demand for flexible study options suggests that online education is increasingly being viewed as an alternative pathway rather than simply a substitute for traditional university attendance.

A second chance through online study

For some students, flexible learning has provided an opportunity to pursue qualifications that were previously out of reach.

Tshwane-born Trudie Coetzee was 48 and working full-time while going through a divorce when she decided to pursue higher education.

Having grown up in a family that could not afford university, Coetzee turned to online learning while maintaining her professional and personal responsibilities.

She completed a BSc Honours and MSc in Psychology online and is now pursuing a PhD. She has since moved to Ireland, where she works as a licensed counsellor.

Coetzee said online education made it possible for her to pursue a university qualification despite her circumstances.

Her experience highlights a broader understanding of access: having a place at a university is only one part of the equation. Students also need learning models that they can realistically afford and fit into their lives.

For women balancing employment, family responsibilities and personal ambitions, flexibility can determine whether higher education remains an unrealised goal or becomes achievable.

As South Africa marks Women's Month, the figures suggest that women are not only participating in higher education in growing numbers but are also helping to reshape the way education is accessed.

A decade after #FeesMustFall placed affordability and access at the centre of the national conversation, the debate is increasingly expanding from who can access higher education to how higher education should adapt to the people seeking it.