Page 23 - CAO Annual Report 2023-24

CENTRAL APPLICATIONS OFFICE
or credit card in addition to the EasyPay payment option that was already in operation. Thirdly, the postal address field in the online application was modified to ensure that the applicant enters the correct information in specific fields and fourthly, the cellphone number field was made mandatory.
Our footprint and consequently those of our partner institutions was broadened by distributing application material to all 12 KZN educational district offices, main libraries and to member institutions. We attended 45 Career Fairs in KZN, and neighbouring provinces as opposed to 36 the previous year and 11 Life Orientation Educator Workshops as opposed to 4 the previous year. We engaged with 45 351 learners and 1 284 Life Orientation Educators. These networking opportunities allowed us in creating better working relationships with key stakeholders from the Department of Basic Education.
Our partnership with the radio station, Gagasi FM has also provided us with a reach in KwaZulu-Natal and in neighbouring provinces that did not exist before.
Of the total of 315,000 applicants applying for the full cycle, 49,895 or 16% applied just before the closing date at the end of September 2023. In anticipation of this increase departmental staff were cross skilled earlier in the cycle and we comfortably met our SLA obligations and objectives. Additionally, staff developmental roles were created in our IT and Admin departments. Call Centre Agent, Sandra Gasa, was seconded to our IT department as
a Junior IT Administrator and two additional staff, Zamani Jama and Sithembiso Nkosi were appointed to assist with risk assessment, facilities management and to be trained in attending career fairs off-site.
2023 (the 2024 entry cycle year) also marked the 25th Anniversary of the CAO. Leading up to our AGM held at the ICC on 28 October 2023 we organized several supporting events. We hosted the first CAO-KZN High Schools Art Competition during which 305 art pieces were received from 38 schools across the province. The winners were honored at our 25th Anniversary celebrations at ICC where their artworks together with the other entrants’ artworks were exhibited. This competition is intended to become an annual event.
An event that occupied a special place in the annals of the CAO was the Special Awards Ceremony for staff held at the Coastlands Hotel on 22 September 2023. Board members present presented each member of staff with a service award. Showing appreciation for staff and their contributions to the CAO over the years added a special touch to our 25th-year celebrations.
A major entry year onslaught occurs during the final two months of each entry cycle - January and February and 2024 was no different. It started with the usual stresses created with the release of the 2023 November NSC Results. These two months play a critical role in admissions to our universities as they strive to achieve their enrolment targets.
Our footprint and consequently those of our partner institutions
was broadened by distributing application material to all 12 KZN educational district offices, main libraries and to member institutions.
ANNUAL REPORT 2023/2024 21