5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has encouraged learners to evaluate the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as a valuable and viable alternative for advancing their careers.
The Deputy Minister was talking during an oversight visit for the post-school education and schooling (PSET) establishments within the Western Cape this week.
Gondwe explained the TVET colleges as critical for job creation and youth skills development from the state.
The Deputy Minister frequented the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, along with the Cape Peninsula {University of Engineering (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits directed at assessing the state of readiness of bigger education institutions across the country, ahead of the 2025 educational year.
Through the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to acquire satisfaction in acquiring artisan abilities as they supply terrific entrepreneurship chances.
"I am 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, students at CPUT expressed considerations about student residences and various facilities. The Deputy Minister directed the institution to operate with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to more info speedily resolve the recognized problems.
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 visits, the Deputy Minister is accompanied by important senior officials from Higher Education and Training, and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
The Deputy more info 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 difficulties faced by the NSFAS was during the spotlight during the Free State leg from the visits.
"NSFAS needs to get its act together, in website order to ensure that student allowances are paid on time 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 motheo tvet college plan of action, announced by Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane at the special click here 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