The Extended Programmes

Purpose of The Extended Programmes

The purpose of foundational provision (extended curriculum) is to improve the academic performance of students who are at risk due to their educational backgrounds. The key role of the extended qualification is therefore, to support educationally disadvantaged students who are underprepared despite meeting minimum admission criteria, by enabling them to be placed on an extended curriculum that will give them the academic foundations for successfully completing their studies (The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) – Foundation Provision in Ministerial Approved Programmes, 2012: 1-5).

Focus of The Extended Programmes

The focus of the extended qualification is, particularly on first-time entering university students. The high drop-out rate of students in their first year of study, which was revealed through an analysis of specific cohorts, is highly disconcerting. Student success rates are determined by Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS) and full-time equivalent (FTE) degree credits awarded to students divided by HEMIS and FTE total student enrolment for a particular year. A graduation rate is the total number of graduate student heads in a given academic year divided by the comparable total number of enrolled student heads in the same academic year, using the HEMIS data.

Foundation provision focuses particularly on basic concepts, content and a learning approach that fosters advanced learning. Even where the subject matter is introductory in nature, foundational provision must make academic demands on the students that are appropriate to higher education. For that reason, foundation provision is intended primarily to facilitate the academic development of university students whose prior learning has been adversely affected by educational or social inequalities (The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) – Foundation Provision in Ministerial Approved Programmes, 2012: 1-5).