Learners encouraged to explore the study alternatives at TVET colleges
5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has encouraged learners to consider the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges like a beneficial and feasible alternate for advancing their occupations.
The Deputy Minister was speaking throughout an oversight visit to the post-school education and teaching (PSET) institutions within the Western Cape this week.
Gondwe explained the TVET colleges as crucial for job creation and youth skills development from the state.
The Deputy Minister visited the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, as well as Cape Peninsula {University of Engineering (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits directed at examining the state of readiness of greater education institutions across the nation, in advance of the 2025 educational year.
Throughout the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to get satisfaction in getting artisan capabilities as they provide good entrepreneurship prospects.
"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 considerations about student residences as well as other amenities. The Deputy Minister directed the establishment to operate with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily take care of the recognized problems.
The lephalale tvet college 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 elangeni tvet college and the Central University of Technology (CUT), at the Welkom campus.
In the visits, the Deputy Minister has been accompanied by key senior officers from Higher Education western tvet college 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 confronted because of the NSFAS was while in the spotlight during the Free State leg on 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, website announced by Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane at the get more info 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