With the matric results released this week, the South African tertiary landscape is no longer just about access for the Class of 2025 and others, but rather about the radical evolution of “readiness”. The dreams of today’s students are being reshaped by a reality where traditional pathways are colliding with technological acceleration. Life skills of adaptability, creativity and responsiveness are also proving critical in rapidly shifting career spaces. Mala Suriah, the CEO of Fundi, reflects on five of the pivotal shifts she expects in 2026. She notes that these shouldn’t be seen as “trends” but rather as “shifts” that will fundamentally shape the structural pillars of South Africa’s education ecosystem.
While 2026 will see South Africa’s tertiary education system continue grappling with ongoing systemic challenges, additional pressures and opportunities will demand new responsiveness this year as they shape learning and career paths – both within and beyond traditional institutions.
“This new year’s most immediate pressure point will remain the persistent capacity squeeze within our public education institutions,” notes Suriah. “While this week’s matric results data shows that approximately 346,000 matriculants achieved bachelor’s passes, our public universities have space for only about 202,000 first-year students. This gap of over 144,000 learners is driving a mass migration toward private higher education and vocational training.”
She adds that the overflow is the primary catalyst for the second shift: the legitimisation of micro-credentials and “stackable” learning. “We are seeing a profound shift in how ‘degrees’ are perceived. While a formal qualification remains a baseline, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has begun formalising a “Roadmap of Actions”[1] to integrate micro-credentials into the National Qualifications Framework. For the 2026 student, a three-year degree is increasingly being supplemented or in some high-growth tech sectors, replaced by intensive, industry-aligned certifications that offer a faster route to the workplace.”
As can be assumed, much of this can be attributed to the rise and transformative role of Artificial Intelligence. “In 2026, AI can no longer be thought of as a ‘future’ concept. It has become the engine of personalised learning,” says Suriah. With local educational groups like ADvTECH demonstrating that adaptive learning platforms can increase student performance by almost 20% by identifying knowledge gaps in real-time [2], the impact of AI goes deeper than just better grades; it is fundamentally devaluing rote memorisation. “Employers are already starting to prioritise AI-fluency and human-centric soft skills (including creativity, emotional intelligence and critical thinking) over necessarily having a formal qualification. As such, we can expect to start seeing a shift in perceptions around having a degree. This should now be seen as the start of a lifelong learning journey, rather than the destination.”
Suriah describes the fourth trend as the “employability pivot”. “This was pre-empted in the Ministerial Statement on Enrolment Planning for 2026 – 2030[3] which outlines the national directive to align education more closely with scarce skills in science, engineering and technology. We’re seeing education moving small to ‘go big’: focusing on niche, high-impact skills that ensure a graduate is employable within six months of completion.
This utilitarian shift is being met with a counter-balancing and equally vital fifth trend: the rise of holistic student wellness. “At Fundi, we have seen through our bursary support programme among others, that academic success is inextricably linked to psychosocial health. This is one of the key reasons we launched our FundiHealth offering last year. This year, institutions that do not offer robust mental health support, peer mentorship and financial literacy training can expect these gaps to be reflected in dropout rates. Students of 2026 will demand an education that cares for the person, not just the learner.”
All of these shifts ultimately reflect a maturing tertiary education system – which will better prepare students for the dynamic futures ahead of them. By moving away from a “one size fits all” model, we will need to actively grapple with how to deliver one that is flexible, technologically empowered and deeply human. “At Fundi, our mission remains to bridge these gaps, ensuring that no matter how the space shapes itself, the path to a brighter future remains open to every South African learner. We wish all of those studying this year – and all of those in the ecosystem supporting them – a fulfilling year,” Suriah concludes.