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 as being a useful and practical substitute for advancing their careers.

The Deputy Minister was speaking through an oversight visit towards the post-school education and schooling (PSET) institutions while in the Western Cape this 7 days.

Gondwe explained the TVET colleges as crucial for job creation and youth skills development during the country.

The Deputy Minister frequented the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, and the Cape Peninsula {University of Technological know-how (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.

Gondwe's visits aimed toward evaluating the condition of readiness of increased education institutions across the country, in advance of the 2025 academic year.

During the visit at West Coast College, she inspired learners to acquire pride in acquiring artisan competencies as they provide fantastic 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 fears about college student residences and other amenities. The Deputy Minister directed the get more info institution to work with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily take care of the identified difficulties.

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 click here the Central University of Technology (CUT), at the Welkom campus.

Through the visits, the Deputy Minister has long been accompanied by critical 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 issues confronted by the NSFAS get more info was from the spotlight throughout the Free State leg in 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, 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 Deputy Minister's oversight check here is expected to continue in other provinces, with North West higher education institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za