The number of engineering science graduates in South Africa has increased from 8 424 in 2009, to 9 387 in 2011, below the target of 10 093, Higher Education and Training Minister Dr Blade Nzimande said in response to a parliamentary question from Gauteng delegate to the National Council of Provinces Busisiwe Mncube of the African National Congress.

Mncube had asked whether the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) was on track to achieve the goals, as set out in the Ministerial Statement on Student Enrolment Planning for 2011/12 to 2013/14.

The Minister added that although human and animal health science graduates had increased from 7 341 in 2009 to 8 070 in 2011, this too was below the 2011 target of 8 991, as per the plan.

Nzimande pointed out, however, that the number of natural and physical science graduates grew from 3 468 in 2009, to 5 526 in 2011, exceeding the 2011 projected target of 4 683. Similarly, teacher education graduates had risen from 6 315 in 2009, to 10 361 in 2011, above the 2011 projected target of 9 942.

Further, data for 2011 indicated that African and/or female graduates accounted for more than 50% in all scarce skills fields, except in engineering sciences where African and/or female graduates were at 26%.

Nzimande put forward that tertiary institutions had indicated that increased graduate output in human and animal health sciences, as well as engineering sciences, would require various interventions. This included additional support to students, the strengthening of infrastructure for current programmes, the appointment of academic and support staff and improved placement of students.

The Minister said his department had embarked on numerous strategies to improve graduate output in the related scarce skills areas.

These strategies included a joint Higher Education South Africa and DHET workshop, which was held with various deans of the relevant faculties to finalise the short- to medium-term interventions of individual institutions.

A national strategy for engineering graduates would also be developed in collaboration with the Engineering Council of South Africa to tackle key challenges in the engineering profession, develop a framework to engage relevant stakeholders and determine alternative interventions that may be feasible.

Further, Nzimande noted that meetings had been held with professional bodies such as the Health Professions Council of South Africa, the South African Pharmacy Council and the South African Veterinary Council, besides others, to tackle the common threads in the training of professionals in these fields.

However, the Minister noted that these strategies were focused on dealing with the throughput of students already in the system and that the impact of the interventions was expected to materialise only from 2015/16 onwards.