PRETORIA – The University of Pretoria (UP) achieved a 100% pass rate in the 2023 South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) Initial Test of Competence (ITC). SAICA administers two professional exams, the ITC being the first of the two. The results of the January 2023 ITC examination were released yesterday, 31 March 2023.Three UP students are in the top ten:

In addition to these students, UP has 10 candidates on SAICA’s Honours Roll for achieving 75% or more in the ITC:

• Chelsey Venter
• Christopher Pieterse
• Evan Walker
• Isabella Van der Watt
• Jean Van der Westhuizen
• Louis Kruger
• Nidhi Jani
• Rikus Bester
• Shante Dunstan
• Zané Pretorius

The overall national pass rate was 75% – from 59% in 2022. A total of 3 021 candidates (2 946 last year) wrote the January 2023 ITC of which 2 279 passed. This is an increase from the 1 739 candidates who passed last year. UP contributed 174 candidates (172 in 2022) to the January 2023 ITC.  There are 18 accredited institutions in South Africa who contribute to the candidates for the 2023 ITC and UP contributes nearly 8% of all successful candidates in the country.

UP has been consistent with its pass rates over the last 15 years, attaining an average first-time pass rate of approximately 95% over this period.

Professor Madeleine Stiglingh, Head: CA-Programme in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) expressed her gratitude to the University’s and Faculty’s management for their continued support towards the CA-Programme.

“The successful completion of the ITC examination is a passport – our students need to continue on their journey to reimagine and co-create the future, and make a positive impact on society. We celebrate with our students who persevered and victoriously battled in the face of adversity through one of the most challenging times in higher education.”

Prof Margaret Chitiga-Mabugu, Dean of the Faculty of EMS congratulated all the staff members in the financial sciences departments for the role they played in UP achieving these sterling results. She noted that these outstanding results attests to UP’s teaching and learning excellence and the calibre of graduates the University produces.

“These exceptional results not only showcase our academic excellence but are a demonstration that our programmes offer relevant knowledge that prepare our graduates for the world of work. We take immense pride in the performance of our students and sincerely congratulate them for upholding UP’s reputation of excellence,” she said.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing our students with an outstanding education that equips them to become leaders in their chosen fields,” added Prof Chitiga-Mabugu.

Prof Tawana Kupe Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UP, who was thrilled over the 100% ITC pass rate, congratulated the students for their achievements. He highlighted that UP’s CA Programme is locally relevant and globally competitive, evident in the latest QS World Subject Rankings, which rank UP first in South Africa and Africa in the Accounting and Finance subject areas.

“I extend a warm congratulations to our students for their sheer tenacity, which has paid off. Their hard-work, combined with our innovative teaching and learning methods, and the dedication of our academics, all ensure that UP continues to be a leader in the education of chartered accountants in the country. These results also validate that our academic offerings align with industry standards,” said Prof Kupe.