5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has inspired learners to look at the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges to be a beneficial and practical choice for advancing their careers.
The Deputy Minister was speaking during an oversight visit into the post-school education and education (PSET) establishments inside the Western Cape this week.
Gondwe described the TVET colleges as very important for job creation and youth skills development while in the place.
The Deputy Minister frequented the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, plus the Cape Peninsula {University of Engineering (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits aimed toward evaluating the state of readiness of higher education institutions across the country, in advance of your 2025 educational year.
In the course of the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to consider pleasure in obtaining artisan techniques as they provide excellent entrepreneurship possibilities.
"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, students at CPUT expressed issues about college student residences and also other facilities. The Deputy Minister directed the establishment to operate with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to here speedily resolve the recognized challenges.
The Deputy Minister’s visit to the Western Cape, follows her recent visit to higher education institutions in the Free State where read more she visited Goldfields TVET College and the Central University of click here Technology (CUT), at the Welkom campus.
Over the visits, the Deputy Minister continues to be accompanied by vital senior officials 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 challenges faced because of 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 delays. Delays cause motheo tvet college 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 more info expected to continue in other provinces, with North West higher education institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za