Page 8 - CAO Annual Report 2022

CENTRAL APPLICATIONS OFFICE CENTRAL APPLICATIONS OFFICE 6 ANNUAL REPORT 2021/2022 (PART I)
GOPS CHETTY
Chairperson - Central Applications Office
The Chairperson’s Report
The The Central Applications Office
(CAO) has has an an an an illustrious history which can be traced back to to the early 1990’s It commenced operations in in in 1998 The The CAO operates in in in terms of o being a a a a a a a a a a Non Profit Company (RF) NPC Despite the the the many challenges over the the the years the the the CAO has remained a a a a a a a a a a resilient organization continuing to to fulfill its vision of of providing services in in in in in the facilitation of of student access to to post-school education The CAO has made an an indelible mark on on the the higher education landscape in in in in in KwaZulu-Natal as as evidenced by the the the growing number of of learners applying to study at at at at at the the the higher education institutions in in in in in in the the the region The provision of of excellent application administrative services to to to both applicants as as as well as as as the the the the the institutions in in in in no small measure must be attributed to to to the the the the the CEO and and the the the the the staff together with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a supportive Board Over and and above providing the the the the the application administrative services the the CAO makes a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a significant contribution towards providing as as as much as as as is is is practical career guidance across the the far flung areas in in in the the region This contribution certainly
helps our learners to better understand and and and prepare themselves for for the the the the the post schooling system and and and in in particular the the the the the respective entry requirements for for the the the the various programmes offered at at at the the the the respective higher education institutions in in KwaZulu-Natal The year year under review ending February 2022 may be viewed as an an overall successful year year for the CAO with great strides and success success in in in fin in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a number of of critical areas which include being a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a financially sustainable organisation overcoming the the impact of of of the the the COVID-19 pandemic processing an an an an an increased number of of applications applications and and helping to to contribute towards the the Department of of Higher Education’s goal of of establishing a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a national applications applications service service The CAO has has made significant progress in in in in in ensuring the the automation of of its services which has has resulted in in in in in the the minimization of of paper-based applications by learners Significant investments have been made over the the the years in in technological enhancements and improvements to to ensure that that the the the the the service that that the the the the the CAO provides to to the the the the learners as as well as as the the the the institutions of higher