Student debt is creating a vicious circle where graduates are unable to secure employment without certificates and universities are unable to recover outstanding fees.

South Africa is facing a higher education crisis that should alarm every citizen, policymaker, employer and taxpayer. More than 165,000 graduates have completed their studies but cannot access their qualification certificates because of unpaid fees.

Some estimates place the figure even higher, at more than 188,000 graduates. At the same time, student debt across the higher education sector has surged to an astonishing R59-billion. These are not merely numbers on a balance sheet. They represent human lives, lost opportunities and a growing threat to the future of the country.

The irony is difficult to ignore. South Africa desperately needs more skilled professionals to drive economic growth, reduce unemployment, strengthen public services and compete in a rapidly changing global economy. Yet thousands of graduates are being prevented from entering the labour market because the very institutions that educated them are withholding proof of their qualifications.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

This is not simply a student problem. It is a national development problem.

The current situation creates a vicious cycle. Graduates cannot secure decent employment without certificates. Without employment, they cannot repay their debt. Universities, meanwhile, cannot recover outstanding fees and continue accumulating financial losses. As debt grows, institutions become increasingly financially vulnerable, creating pressure to...