5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has encouraged learners to look at the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as a important and viable option for advancing their occupations.
The Deputy Minister was talking during an oversight visit for the post-school education and teaching (PSET) establishments from the Western Cape this week.
Gondwe described the TVET colleges as crucial for job creation and youth skills development from the country.
The Deputy Minister visited the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, as well as the Cape Peninsula {University of Know-how (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits targeted at examining the condition of readiness of greater education institutions across the country, forward from the 2025 academic year.
Through the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to choose delight in buying artisan capabilities as they offer wonderful entrepreneurship opportunities.
"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 concerns about student residences and various facilities. The Deputy Minister website directed the establishment to operate with the Student Representative Council esayidi tvet college (SRC), to speedily resolve the identified concerns.
The Deputy Minister’s visit to the Western Cape, follows read more 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.
During the visits, the Deputy Minister continues to click here be accompanied by crucial 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 with the NSFAS was in the spotlight throughout the Free State leg in 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 thekwini tvet college 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