Massification of higher education in South Africa, the good, the bad and the ugly

Increasingly, education and in particular higher education, are recognized as imperatives in the economic development and as a means to an end apart from been a necessary tool for sustainability of human capital. The common believe is that having a university certificate is an access to having a better job in South Africa particularly amongst blacks. Therefore, making prospective students to focus on employability while calculating the likely financial benefits of having higher education certificate. However, in the ever-intensifying globalization setting, obtaining a higher education degree is no longer a guarantee of employment. From the human capital theorist, the social dynamics of growth drives participation in higher education believing that the expansion of higher education is moulded by the market forces and the government in response to the economic need for knowledge, skills, and certified professional competences. Using mixed method of analysis, this study challenges the conservative thinking that attainment of higher education not minding its quality is among the most important determinants of the upward movement of the fortunes of average South Africans. It contends that the massification of higher education in South Africa, contrary to the expectations of received higher education, may not likely boost the upward social mobility of South Africans, rather due to poor planning and implementation, graduate may end up joining the band wagon of unsuccessful job applicants who do not understand why they have a degree.