Page 10 - CAO Annual Report 2022

CENTRAL APPLICATIONS OFFICE CENTRAL APPLICATIONS OFFICE 8 ANNUAL REPORT 2021/2022 (PART I)
GEORGE VAN DER ROSS
CEO - Central Applications Office
IChief Executive Officer’s Report
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t would be trite to say that the the the COVID-19 of of the the the past two years have had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a devastating effect on the the the world All spheres of of life were were affected and South Africa was particularly hard hit Many lives were were were lost lost businesses were were were impacted with many closing down – – – some some permanently – – – jobs and and and consequent incomes were were were lost lost – – – some some forever and and and and schools and and and and universities were were closed down for for long periods leaving learners and and and students without face-to-face tuition The CAO was was not spared In October 2020 one one senior staff member succumbed to to COVID-19 one one was was hospitalised and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a number were were quarantined and and isolated Many work hours were were lost as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a result of the necessary compliance with COVID-19 regulations It is is therefore with ambivalent feelings that I I write this report Despite the the doom and gloom there can be no no doubt that the the the CAO has entered another new chapter to to its proud 24-year history Despite the the pandemic of the the past two-and-a-half years the CAO has managed to increase its presence in in KwaZulu-Natal (see Chart 3) The CAO has extended its footprint beyond KZN into the the rest of South Africa with the the Central Applications Service (CAS) and Central Applications Clearing House (CACH) projects that began planning at the the the beginning of 2021 with with the the the contracts it it it concluded with with the the the Department of Higher Education and Training in in in December 2020 I I am deeply impressed by the the the the resilience of of the the the the CAO staff staff Immediately after the the the the the total lockdown of of of of 26 March 2020 2020 to to to end April 2020 2020 the the the the the staff staff returned to to to to work in in in terms of of of the the the CIPC Certificate of of of Essential Services on on 4th May 2020 All protocols were in in in place in in in compliance with COVID-19 regulations and and directives We also carried out regular mass testing of of all staff staff at at company expense and and bi-weekly deep-cleaning of of the the premises premises During this entire period staff staff worked from our premises premises Until December 2020 we we we allowed the the the the the public into reception From January 2021 at the the the the onset of the the the the third wave we we we stopped the the the the public from accessing our reception and cut back on on on career fairs Towards the end of 2021 we started face-to-face engagement with learners and and teachers at at at schools and and at at at Teachers Centres It is is only during personal engagements that one realises the the the vital role we play in in in in contributing to the the the the the building of better futures for for all: learners their families communities and the the the high regard they have for for our staff It has become customary that our our most daunting challenge during January is is is trying to to to match the Grade 12 NSC/IEB/SACAI data with our our 200 000 applicants This is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a never-ending story experienced by all universities except that we we do the matching for multiple institutions During this time telephone calls calls spike (just under 1 000 calls calls answered