Learners encouraged to take a look at the education alternatives at TVET colleges
5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has inspired learners to evaluate the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as being a worthwhile and viable substitute for advancing their careers.
The Deputy Minister was talking throughout an oversight visit on the post-school education and instruction (PSET) establishments inside the Western Cape this week.
Gondwe explained the TVET colleges as crucial for job creation and youth skills development while in the country.
The Deputy Minister visited the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, and the Cape Peninsula {University of Technological innovation (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits aimed at assessing the condition of readiness of better education institutions across the nation, in advance from the 2025 academic year.
In the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to take satisfaction in buying artisan abilities as they provide good 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, college students at CPUT expressed fears about student residences and also other amenities. The Deputy Minister directed the establishment to operate with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily take care of the identified problems.
The Deputy Minister’s visit to the Western Cape, follows her recent visit to higher education institutions in the Free State check here where she visited Goldfields TVET College and the Central University check here of Technology (CUT), at the Welkom campus.
In the course of the visits, the Deputy Minister has been accompanied by important 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 issue of funding and administrative difficulties confronted through the NSFAS was inside the spotlight throughout the Free State leg from more info 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 tvet college courses without matric 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 here oversight is expected to continue in other provinces, with North West higher education institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za