5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has inspired learners to consider the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges for a precious and practical different for advancing their occupations.
The Deputy Minister was speaking throughout an oversight visit for the post-school education and schooling (PSET) establishments from the Western Cape this 7 days.
Gondwe described the TVET colleges as vital for job creation and youth skills development from the place.
The Deputy Minister visited the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, plus the Cape Peninsula {University of Know-how (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits aimed at assessing the condition of readiness of increased education institutions across the nation, in advance of the 2025 educational year.
Throughout the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to acquire delight in acquiring artisan techniques as they provide great 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, students at CPUT expressed considerations about student residences and also other services. The Deputy Minister directed the institution to work with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily solve the determined challenges.
The Deputy Minister’s visit to the Western Cape, follows her recent click here visit to higher education institutions in the Free State where she visited Goldfields TVET College and the Central University of capricorn tvet college Technology (CUT), at the Welkom campus.
Throughout the visits, the Deputy Minister has been 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 click here the delegation, assisting with all higher education related queries on each visit.
The problem of funding and administrative difficulties faced from the NSFAS was during the spotlight over the Free State leg with the visits.
"NSFAS needs to get its act together, in order to ensure that student allowances are paid on time check here 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 here to continue in other provinces, with North West higher education institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za