Why SA Universities are increasingly Female Dominated
New data from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has revealed a widening demographic shift in South Africa’s tertiary institutions, with female students now significantly outnumbering and outperforming their male counterparts.
The latest Gender Parity Index (GPI) for public universities has reached 1.59, a figure that indicates approximately 159 women are enrolled for every 100 men across the nation’s 26 public institutions. This trend is not limited to enrollment; it is even more pronounced in graduation ceremonies, where women continue to earn degrees at a higher rate than men.
Breaking Barriers in STEM
Historically, women were underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). However, the most recent statistics show that this gap is closing rapidly. In some engineering programs, female completion rates have reached near-parity with males, signaling a successful result of decades of gender-focused transformation policies.
In the 2026 academic year, the Faculty of Humanities where Public Relations and Communication programs are housed continues to show the highest concentration of female students. Yet, the surge in female success is now a multi-disciplinary phenomenon, with women dominating the Dean’s lists in Law, Health Sciences, and Education.
The “Missing Male” Phenomenon
While the success of female students is a milestone for gender justice, the data has sparked a new debate regarding the “missing male” in higher education. Higher Education Deputy Minister Buti Manamela has previously expressed concern over the declining participation of young men, describing the widening gap as a “stark underrepresentation” that could have long-term socio-economic consequences.
Analysts suggest that several factors contribute to this disparity, including higher male dropout rates at the secondary school level and a greater tendency for young men to enter the informal labor market early.
The Employment Paradox
Despite dominating the graduation stages, women still face a “broken bridge” to the workforce. A recent Afrobarometer report indicates that although women are now more educated than men, with 41% of women holding post-secondary education compared to 31% of men they are still more likely to be unemployed.
This paradox suggests that while universities have succeeded in providing access to women, the corporate sector has not yet fully adjusted its hiring practices to match the reality of the 2026 graduate pool.
Institutional Response
Universities, including the University of Johannesburg (UJ), are now tasked with a dual challenge: maintaining the momentum of female academic excellence while investigating new ways to re-engage male learners. For institutions, the goal is to reach a balanced environment where academic success is not dictated by gender, but by equal opportunity and support.
