The NWU’s chartered accountancy students have again shown their mettle by obtaining the highest pass rate (94%) of first-time candidates in the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) January 2019 Initial Test of Competence exam.

This achievement is yet another star in the crown of the NWU’s chartered accountancy candidates, who have an exceptional overall track record in the SAICA and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Namibia (ICAN) exams.

 

In the past five years, the achievements of the first-time candidates have placed the NWU consistently in the top five out of 16 South African universities whose students write the exams.

 

The NWU shares the top spot this year with the University of Pretoria and also claimed top honours in 2017. The NWU was second in 2015 and fourth in 2018 and 2016.

 

The NWU ended way above the country’s average in all five years, with most of the first-time candidates passing their exams and proving that the NWU’s quality education enables them to reach their full potential.

 

It is all in the numbers

 

The university delivered 92 students this year. According to the results released by SAICA, the national average pass rate for first-time candidates was 76% – 18% lower than at the NWU.

 

Two of the NWU’s candidates made SAICA’s top 10 list:  Franco Bosman took first place and Ida Mittermaier was third in the entire country.

 

SAICA’s aim is to transform its racial demographics in line with those of the national population.

 

Prof Nico van der Merwe, coordinating programme leader of the CA programme at the NWU, adds that all the NWU’s Thuthuka candidates passed on their first attempt. The Thuthuka Bursary Fund project places African and coloured students at selected SAICA-accredited universities on full bursaries.