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 being a important and feasible substitute for advancing their careers.
The Deputy Minister was talking throughout an oversight visit to the post-school education and coaching (PSET) establishments inside the Western Cape this week.
Gondwe explained the TVET colleges as vital for job creation and youth skills development from the place.
The Deputy Minister frequented the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, as well as the Cape Peninsula {University of Technological know-how (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits aimed toward examining the state of readiness of better education institutions across the nation, in advance of the 2025 academic year.
In the course of the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to get pleasure in acquiring artisan capabilities as they provide fantastic entrepreneurship alternatives.
"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 of the visit, college students at CPUT expressed considerations about student residences and various facilities. The Deputy Minister directed read more the institution to work with the Student Representative click here Council (SRC), to speedily solve 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.
In the course of the visits, the Deputy Minister has get more info been accompanied by critical senior officers from Higher 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 problem of funding and administrative troubles faced through the NSFAS was within the spotlight in the course of the Free State leg of the visits.
"NSFAS needs to get its act together, in order to ensure that student allowances are paid on time with no letaba tvet college delays. Delays cause serious challenges for learners; learners need more info 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, 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