5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has inspired learners to think about the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges for a useful and viable substitute for advancing their occupations.
The Deputy Minister was talking for the duration of an oversight visit towards the post-school education and coaching (PSET) establishments while in the Western Cape this week.
Gondwe described the TVET colleges as vital for job creation and youth skills development inside the state.
The Deputy Minister frequented the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, as well as the Cape Peninsula {University of Technological know-how (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits aimed at examining the condition of readiness of increased education institutions across the country, forward on the 2025 academic year.
Through the visit at West Coast College, she inspired learners to just take delight in buying artisan skills as they offer good entrepreneurship opportunities.
"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 worries about student residences and various amenities. The Deputy Minister directed the establishment to work with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily resolve the determined concerns.
The 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 and the Central University of Technology (CUT), at the Welkom campus.
Over the visits, the Deputy Minister has been accompanied by important senior officers 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 worries faced with the NSFAS was within the spotlight in the Free State leg on the visits.
"NSFAS needs to get its act together, in order to ensure umfolozi tvet college 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 website state more info of readiness visits following a plan of action, announced by Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane click here 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 more info 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