Private school group AdvTech is pushing for its private tertiary education institutes to become official universities in South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In preparation, the group is developing a massive 9,000-capacity facility in Sandton, which it plans to have ready by 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group has reported a significant jump in earnings for the full year ending 31 December 2024, including passing the milestone of 100,000 enrolments across the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AdvTech is the owner of Varsity College and the Crawford and TrinityHouse chain of private schools in South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group reported an 8% jump in revenue to R8.52 billion for 2024, up from R7.86 billion in the comparable period, driven by tuition fees across its schools and tertiary education segments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Operating profit before interest and non-trading items increased by 14% to R1.79 billion from R.58 billion, while normalised earnings increased by 17% to R1.1 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Headline earnings per share increased by 16% to 202.2 cents per share from 174.2 cents per share, and earnings per share increased by 16% to 201.7 cents per share from 174.4 cents per share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A full-year dividend of 101.0 cents per share was declared, up from 87.0 cents per share declared for the prior corresponding year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ADvTECH\u2019s strong performance was driven by continued growth in South Africa, where school and tertiary revenue increased 11% and 14$, respectively, accounting for the majority share of earnings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enrolments in schools in South Africa were up 4% to 34,093 learners at February 2025, with an additional 11,550 in the rest of Africa division for a total school enrolment of 45,643\u2014up 11%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group added 8,513 organically, with 3,037 coming through acquisition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the tertiary segment, the group increased its full qualification enrolments by 14% to 60,067, giving the group combined enrolments over 100,000 for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group said that strong demand has necessitated school buildouts to keep up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strong enrollment growth at Pinnacle College Raslouw has necessitated the accelerated build-out of the school, which is currently underway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A new Pinnacle College campus was also opened in Ridgeview, Roodepoort, in January 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overall, the group noted that it has capacity for 54,700 students (9,100 more spaces), but has an ultimate capacity of 64,600 (19,000 more spaces).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tertiary segment also has big expansion plans, it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The expansion of the Rosebank College sites at Braamfontein and Polokwane is currently under way, and a new purpose-built campus has also been completed for Vega Pretoria adjacent to Varsity College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group also acquired a 47,000-square-metre property off Grayston Drive in Sandton, which will be developed into a brand-new campus with an initial capacity for 9,000 students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Varsity College Sandton and Vega Bordeaux will relocate to the site in time for the 2026 academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“This acquisition is in line with our intention to become a fully-fledged university,” AdvTech said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Currently, only government-owned institutions can be called universities; however, a draft Policy for the Recognition of South African Higher Education Institutional Types was released in September 2022, setting out the criteria for being recognised as a university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following the submission of comments, a second draft was published in April 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
AdvTech submitted comments on the second draft in May 2024 and awaits the gazetting of the policy and criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Recognition as a university will ultimately benefit our students, who will rightfully be afforded the same status as their peers who obtain identically accredited qualifications through a Public University,” it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“In this regard, we continue to engage with the Department of Higher Education and Training to bring this to fruition.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Internationally, Rosebank College will launch its first international tertiary institution in Accra, Ghana, in September 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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