5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has inspired learners to take into account the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges for a valuable and feasible substitute for advancing their professions.
The Deputy Minister was speaking throughout an oversight visit for the post-school education and instruction (PSET) establishments while in the Western Cape this week.
Gondwe explained the TVET colleges as vital for job creation and youth skills development during the region.
The Deputy Minister frequented the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, as well as the Cape Peninsula {University of Engineering (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.
Gondwe's visits directed at assessing the state of readiness of increased education institutions across the nation, in advance from the 2025 academic year.
In the course of the visit at West Coast College, she inspired learners to acquire pleasure in attaining artisan skills as they offer fantastic entrepreneurship options.
"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 problems about college student residences together with other services. The Deputy Minister directed the institution to operate with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily solve the recognized issues.
The Deputy Minister’s visit to the Western Cape, follows her recent visit to higher education institutions in the Free State where she visited click here Goldfields TVET College and the Central University of Technology (CUT), at the Welkom campus.
During the visits, the Deputy Minister has been accompanied by critical senior officials from Higher Education and Training, and website 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 difficulty of funding and administrative issues confronted with the NSFAS was during the spotlight during the Free State leg in the visits.
"NSFAS read more 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 website 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 read more to continue in other provinces, with North West higher education institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za