Learners encouraged to explore the study alternatives at TVET colleges
5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has inspired learners to consider the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges like a useful and viable different for advancing their careers.
The Deputy Minister was speaking during an oversight visit into the post-school education and schooling (PSET) establishments in the Western Cape this 7 days.
Gondwe described the TVET colleges as vital for job creation and youth skills development during the state.
The Deputy Minister frequented the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, along with the Cape Peninsula {University of Technology (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits targeted at evaluating the state of readiness of better education institutions across the country, forward of your 2025 educational year.
During the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to choose delight in attaining artisan capabilities as they offer good entrepreneurship options.
"I'm very encouraged by what I'm seeing at TVET colleges, I believe they are the future of this country. TVETs are producing artisans with much needed skills [and] also offer opportunities for learners to acquire future skills, such as robotics, AI [Artificial intelligence], and coding," Gondwe said.
At the second part get more info of the visit, college students at CPUT expressed worries about student residences along with other amenities. The Deputy Minister directed the establishment to operate with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily resolve the determined troubles.
The Deputy Minister’s visit to the Western Cape, follows her recent visit to higher education institutions in the Free State where she visited Goldfields TVET College and the Central University of Technology (CUT), at the Welkom campus.
Over the visits, the Deputy Minister has been accompanied by crucial senior officials from Higher get more info Education and Training, and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
The Deputy Minister’s dedicated Help Desk has also formed part of the delegation, assisting with all higher education related queries on each visit.
The issue of funding and administrative challenges confronted with the NSFAS was in the spotlight in the course of the Free State leg of the visits.
"NSFAS needs get more info to get its act together, in order to ensure that student allowances are paid on time website with no delays. Delays cause serious challenges for learners; learners need allowances to eat and to buy hygiene products. This is important for their sense of wellbeing and dignity," Gondwe said.
Gondwe embarked on the state of readiness visits following a plan of action, announced by Higher Education and Training, click here Dr Nobuhle Nkabane at the special meeting of the Post Education and Training sector held in January 2025, to establish the state of readiness for the 2025 academic year.
The Deputy Minister's oversight is expected to continue in other provinces, with North West higher education institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za