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Increasing diversity of participation in higher education : a case study of the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute
Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613860570071040 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Chinasamy-Dampies, Desiree |
| author2 | Rabie, Babette |
| author_browse | Chinasamy-Dampies, Desiree Rabie, Babette |
| author_facet | Rabie, Babette Chinasamy-Dampies, Desiree |
| author_sort | Chinasamy-Dampies, Desiree |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131615 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:51.481Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131615 Increasing diversity of participation in higher education : a case study of the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute Chinasamy-Dampies, Desiree Rabie, Babette Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. Education, Higher -- Social aspects -- South Africa Educational equalization -- South Africa Multicultural education -- South Africa Inclusive education -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH SUMMARY: Over the years, the concept of diversity in higher education has been of growing concern. Despite policies promoting inclusivity in South Africa, inequality is still challenging. In 2015, students protested against the lack of transformation at higher education institutions in South Africa. Similarly, these protests also affected the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute (EATI). Consequently, a comprehensive transformation plan was adopted by the EATI to address this crisis through change management, focusing on organisational realignment and a review of all systems and processes. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to examine whether student admission strategies are effective for EATI’s diversity goals. In carrying out this study, a quasi-experimental and a descriptive survey design using a mixed-methods approach was used. The literature review highlighted the significance of higher education institutions in promoting diversity among the student population. It indicates that these institutions should embrace strategic recruitment, accommodating support mechanisms for diverse needs, financial aid, and effective change management. These measures promote inclusivity, social justice, and economic growth, addressing historical inequalities. The policy and legislative review were based on the mandate for transformation and increasing equity and access in higher education institutions. This review provided an outline of the constitutional framework for South Africa in order to transform higher education and focused on access, diversity, equity, and improving language inclusivity. Based on the case study, the EATI has improved access at the institution through strategies such as providing bursaries and introducing a new Student Information System (SIS) to increase enrolment rates for previously disadvantaged individuals (PDIs). Nevertheless, low representation figures of black, coloured and Indian students (BCIs) imply that there are still gaps in the strategies used by the institution. The perceptions of PDI applicants were assessed by using the EATI Enrolled/Non-enrolled Student Questionnaire. A major finding of this survey was the significance of strategic student recruitment and using inclusive support systems for students. PDI Applicants at the EATI indicated that practical exposure in agriculture is one aspect that influences their decisions to enrol, whereas academic reputation and financial aid play a role, too. Factors influencing an applicant’s decision not to enrol at the EATI include financial constraints, lack of funding, and an inability to meet admission requirements. The study concluded that improving financial support, increasing marketing and outreach, ensuring comprehensive language support, addressing campus access issues, and providing clear communication during the admission process are some recommendations for the EATI. This will also lead to maximum attraction and retention of a diverse student population and will address historical inequalities as it promotes inclusivity alongside social justice. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oor die jare was die konsep van diversiteit van hoer onderwys ʼn groeiende bron van kommer. Ten spyte van beleide wat inklusiwiteit in Suid-Afrika bevorder, is ongelykheid steeds ʼn uitdaging. In 2015 het studente betoog teen die gebrek aan transformasie by hoer onderwysinstellings in Suid-Afrika en is die Elsenburg Landbou Opleidingsinstituut (ELOI) ook daardeur geraak. Gevolglik is ʼn omvattende transformasieplan deur die ELOI aanvaar om hierdie krisis aan te spreek deur veranderingsbestuur wat fokus op organisatoriese herbelyning sowel as ʼn hersiening van alle stelsels en prosesse. Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie was dus om te ondersoek of studentetoelatingstrategiee effektief is vir ELOI se diversiteitsdoelwitte. In die uitvoering van hierdie studie is ʼn kwasi-eksperimentele en ʼn beskrywende opname-ontwerp met behulp van ʼn gemengde metode-benadering gebruik. Die literatuuroorsig het die belangrikheid van hoer onderwysinstellings in die bevordering van diversiteit onder die studentebevolking beklemtoon. Dit dui daarop dat strategiese werwing, akkommodering van ondersteuningsmeganismes vir diverse behoeftes, finansiele hulp en effektiewe veranderingsbestuur deur hierdie instellings omhels moet word. Hierdie maatreels bevorder inklusiwiteit, sosiale geregtigheid en ekonomiese groei, wat historiese ongelykhede aanspreek. Die beleid en wetgewende hersiening was gebaseer op die mandaat vir transformasie en die verhoging van gelykheid en toegang in hoer onderwys-instellings. Hierdie oorsig het ʼn uiteensetting van die grondwetlike raamwerk vir Suid-Afrika verskaf ten einde hoer onderwys te transformeer. Die resensie fokus op toegang, diversiteit en gelykheid sowel as die verbetering van taalinklusiwiteit. Op grond van die gevallestudie het die ELOI toegang by die instelling verbeter deur strategiee soos die verskaffing van beurse en die bekendstelling van ʼn nuwe studente-inligtingstelsel (SIS) om die inskrywingskoerse van voorheen-benadeelde individue te verhoog. Nietemin impliseer lae verteenwoordigingsyfers van swart-, kleurling- en Indiese studente (SKI’s) dat daar steeds leemtes in die strategiee is wat deur die instelling gebruik word. Die persepsies van SKI-aansoekers is beoordeel deur die ELOI Ingeskrewe/Nie-ingeskrewe Studentevraelys te gebruik. ʼn Groot bevinding van hierdie studie was die belangrikheid van strategiese studentewerwing sowel as die gebruik van inklusiewe ondersteuningstelsels vir studente. SKI-aansoekers by die ELOI het aangedui dat praktiese blootstelling in die landbou een van die aspekte is wat hul besluite om in te skryf beinvloed, terwyl akademiese reputasie en finansiele hulp ook ʼn rol speel. Die faktore wat ʼn aansoeker se besluit om nie by die ELOI in te skryf nie, beinvloed, sluit onder meer finansiele beperkings, gebrek aan befondsing en ʼn onvermoe om aan toelatingsvereistes te voldoen in. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat verbetering van finansiele ondersteuning, verhoging van bemarking en uitreik, die versekering van omvattende taalondersteuning, die aanspreek van kampustoegangskwessies, en die verskaffing van duidelike kommunikasie tydens die toelatingsproses is ʼn paar aanbevelings vir die ELOI. Dit sal ook lei tot maksimum aantrekkingskrag en behoud van ʼn diverse studentepopulasie sowel as die aanspreek van historiese ongelykhede aangesien dit inklusiwiteit saam met sosiale geregtigheid bevorder. Masters 2025-01-29T09:56:48Z 2025-01-29T09:56:48Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131615 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xvi, 170 pages : illustrations, maps, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Education, Higher -- Social aspects -- South Africa Educational equalization -- South Africa Multicultural education -- South Africa Inclusive education -- South Africa UCTD Chinasamy-Dampies, Desiree Increasing diversity of participation in higher education : a case study of the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute |
| title | Increasing diversity of participation in higher education : a case study of the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute |
| title_full | Increasing diversity of participation in higher education : a case study of the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute |
| title_fullStr | Increasing diversity of participation in higher education : a case study of the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increasing diversity of participation in higher education : a case study of the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute |
| title_short | Increasing diversity of participation in higher education : a case study of the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute |
| title_sort | increasing diversity of participation in higher education a case study of the elsenburg agricultural training institute |
| topic | Education, Higher -- Social aspects -- South Africa Educational equalization -- South Africa Multicultural education -- South Africa Inclusive education -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131615 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chinasamydampiesdesiree increasingdiversityofparticipationinhighereducationacasestudyoftheelsenburgagriculturaltraininginstitute |