Question NW4132 to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

Reply:

Question (a): Strategies being implemented to address disparities in access to STEM education, particularly among underrepresented groups.

The Minister recognises and supports the transformation in education, which includes addressing historical inequities to allow underrepresented groups in society to have access to STEM education. In this regard, though, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is the leader, and the Departments of Science and Innovation and Higher Education and Training are limited to providing support to the DBE for this effort.

Based on a collaboration agreement with the DBE, the Department of Science and Innovation facilitates learners' access to extracurricular activities that pique their interest in STEM and help them understand why studying STEM subjects is important. These activities include participating in STEM Olympiads and fairs, as well as having access to supplemental learning and teaching resources that offer real-world examples of the STEM concepts covered in the curriculum. Learners in public ordinary schools, especially those in quintiles 1-3 three, are given priority when these activities are implemented.

Question (b): Steps taken to promote inclusivity and/or diversity in STEM fields to ensure a skilled and diverse workforce for the future.

The Department commissioned and completed several studies as the evidentiary basis for policies and interventions aimed at promoting inclusivity and/or diversity in STEM. These studies with a focus on promoting inclusivity and/or diversity include the:

1. Retention, Conversion and Progression of Postgraduate students (2015) – a study that looked at the rate of progression from lower postgraduates (Hons) to upper postgraduate (PhDs);
2. Postgraduate Research Training in Engineering (2018) – which investigated low PhD graduation rates in Engineering, particularly women PhD engineers and PhD engineering graduates who are South African nationals vs. those from outside the country. This study also found that most PhDs in Engineering get employed in the financial, insurance and fintech sectors in the private sector;
3. Building the Cadre of Emerging Researchers in South Africa (2018) – also called the “Silent Majority” study. This study looked at who holds PhDs, who actively publishes and who actively seeks research funding among different emerging researcher groups (by gender and race) in our university system; and
4. Recruitment, Retention and Progression of Black South African academics in SA universities (2019) looked at just that, namely blacks and particularly black women recruitment, retention, and progression in the university rungs.

Based on these studies, the Department formulated, implemented, and even recapitalised targeted interventions at the National Research Foundation such as the Thuthuka Programme, and the Black Academics Advancement Programmme. The policy prescripts in the DSI-NRF Postgraduate Funding Policy were also informed by the findings of these studies.

A different set of studies aimed at ensuring the support of a pipeline of a diverse and future-proof, skilled workforce was conducted and completed, including:

1. The South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) study on Pathways into the Labour Market and Self Employment for Natural Science Graduates (2021);
2. The Water Research Commission (WRC:2020) – Tracer study of water PhDs in South Africa. The study focused on the employability of PhD graduates in the water sector; and
3. The National PhD Tracer Study (2022) which looked at the relevance and demand for PhDs by different sectors (government, universities, science councils, private sector etc), among others.

The DSI is working with the DHET to finalise a robust one skills plan for the country, that is, a Master Skills Plan for the country.