Learners urged to examine the study selections at TVET colleges
5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has inspired learners to take into account the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges to be a valuable and viable substitute for advancing their careers.
The Deputy Minister was talking for the duration of an oversight visit to the post-school education and education (PSET) institutions during the Western Cape this 7 days.
Gondwe explained the TVET colleges as important for job creation and youth skills development from the country.
The Deputy Minister visited the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, plus the Cape Peninsula {University of Technological know-how (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits geared toward evaluating the condition of readiness of better education institutions across the nation, ahead from the 2025 academic year.
Through the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to acquire pleasure in attaining artisan skills as they offer great entrepreneurship possibilities.
"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 more info concerns about college student residences together with other services. The Deputy Minister directed the institution to operate with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily take care of the recognized problems.
The Deputy Minister’s visit to more info 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 become accompanied by crucial 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 thekwini tvet college higher education related queries on each visit.
The issue of funding and administrative challenges faced with the NSFAS was during the spotlight through the Free State leg with the visits.
"NSFAS needs to get its act together, in order more info 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 here the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za