5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has inspired learners to think about the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as being a beneficial and feasible alternative for advancing their occupations.
The Deputy Minister was talking through an oversight visit into the post-school education and education (PSET) establishments in the Western Cape this week.
Gondwe described the TVET colleges as vital for job creation and youth skills development in the place.
The Deputy Minister frequented the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, as well as Cape Peninsula {University of Technology (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits aimed at assessing the state of readiness of increased education institutions across the nation, in advance of your 2025 educational year.
Throughout the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to get delight in getting artisan techniques as they provide wonderful 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, college students at CPUT expressed fears about college student residences and various services. The Deputy Minister directed the institution to work with the Student more info Representative Council (SRC), to speedily take care of the determined troubles.
The Deputy Minister’s visit to the Western Cape, follows her recent visit to read more higher education institutions in the Free State where she visited Goldfields TVET College and here the Central University of Technology (CUT), at the Welkom campus.
Over the visits, the Deputy read more Minister has become accompanied by important 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 website and administrative issues faced via the NSFAS was inside the spotlight over the Free State leg from the visits.
"NSFAS needs to get its act together, in 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 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