Extended Curriculum Programmes

Book excerpt: The introduction of ECPs in South African Universities is seen by many as South Africa’s key strategy for addressing the problem of poor patterns of student success and has its basis on the uncontested acceptance that an extended study duration may be necessary to bring some categories of learners to a level of parity with the readiness expectations of their course of study. Even so, this transformative strategic imperative has been plagued by a range of challenges that include poor systems readiness; poor selection mechanisms in the identification of ECP students; poor numeracy and literacy amongst students, and indifferent teacher involvement in ECPs. This volume offers a rare insight into many of the above-recognised challenges and in so doing provides critical matter for thought for educators within the higher education sector.