... www.hsrcpress.ac.za1Inequalitiesin Higher Education and theStructureoftheLabourMarketIntroductionTherelationshipbetween education and economic growth and developmentinSouthAfricahasbeenwidelystudied and itsimportanceacknowledged. Higher education hasaparticularlyimportantroletoplayintheoveralldevelopmentoftheeconomy.Ithasovertheyearsprovidedsocietywithhighlyskilled,professionalworkers and mustcontinuetodoso. Higher education alsohasakeyroletoplayinextendingeducationalbenefitstothedisadvantaged,thuscontributingtoequalopportunities and fairness.However,fortheserolestoberealised,the education systemhastobeeffective and efficientwithimproved education outcomes.Thechangingnatureoflabourmarketsisplacingapremiumontechnicalexpertise and occupationalcompetenciesaswellasonthematchingofeducationalqualificationswithprospectiveemployment.Allthishas ... greaterdemandfor and widerparticipationin higher education. This paper looks at the inequities in higher education and their consequencesinthelabourmarketforpeoplewith higher education. Theinequalitiesinthetype and sourceofhumancapitalacquiredareoftenoverlooked, and itisarguedherethattheyperpetuateinequalitiesobservedinthelabourmarket.Inequitiesinacquiredhumancapitaleventuallyinfluenceeducationalattainment,whichinturninfluenceslabourmarketprospects.Thisisreflectedintheselectionorsiftingofthepotentialemployeesinthelabourmarket.Thosewithlongeryearsofschoolinghavebetterprospectsinthelabourmarket.Butalsoofsignificanceisthetypeofqualificationacquiredduringschooling. ... study.Thisvariedfordifferentstudyfields.Whileallfieldshadgraduateswhoindicatedthattheywouldchooseadifferentcourseofstudy,mostofthesewereinthehumanities and arts(63%) and education (69,7%)(Table12).Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.za12PercyMoleke13Inequalitiesin Higher Education and theStructureoftheLabourMarketTable11:Currentjobsector,byrace and fieldofstudyRaceNaturalsciencesEngi-neeringAgri-cultureMedicalsciencesHumanities and artsEdu-cationLaw...