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 being a useful and practical substitute for advancing their careers.

The Deputy Minister was speaking throughout an oversight visit into the post-school education and instruction (PSET) establishments within the Western Cape this week.

Gondwe explained the TVET colleges as crucial for job creation and youth skills development within the nation.

The Deputy Minister visited the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, as well as the Cape Peninsula {University of Technologies (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.

Gondwe's visits geared toward assessing the point out of readiness of bigger education institutions across the nation, forward in the 2025 academic year.

During the visit at West Coast College, she inspired learners to just take satisfaction in obtaining artisan techniques as they provide excellent entrepreneurship alternatives.

"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 here said.

At the second part of the visit, students at CPUT expressed worries about student residences and get more info also other services. The Deputy Minister directed the establishment to operate with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily solve the determined troubles.

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.

In the course of the visits, the Deputy Minister has 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 troubles confronted via the NSFAS was in the spotlight through 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 website 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 get more info 2025, to establish the state of readiness for the 2025 academic year.

The Deputy Minister's oversight is expected to continue in other provinces, with here North West higher education institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za