**5.6 Balancing theory and practice**

Through HEAC, university education is extended to students without the requisite educational qualification for direct entry. As HEAC students transit into a degree programme, it is envisaged that respective course organizers furnish the University with monitoring, academic performance and attrition rates information in comparison with students who enrolled through other entry routes. Facilitators/lecturers align what they have to deliver to fit the programme level standards and expectations as they bring students on board.

Support is extended to HEAC students through the Extended Orientation Programme (EOP), authentic role modeling, mentoring and constantly addressing their challenges. The relevance of the access programme to the country as one of the higher education entry routes worth embracing is showcased in order to increase admission chances into the higher education system. Rekindling HEAC students' hope to pursue university education improves their self-image and boosts their confidence levels in their academic endeavors. Implementing the HEAC programme in a university setting exposes students to understand and relieve a university natural setting and study with ease. Career guidance sessions conducted as part of psycho social support stimulate and sustain HEAC students' interest to pursue university degrees in preferred science fields.
