5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has encouraged learners to evaluate the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as a beneficial and feasible substitute for advancing their careers.

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

Gondwe explained the TVET colleges as critical for job creation and youth skills development within the place.

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 larger education institutions across the nation, forward on the 2025 educational year.

Throughout the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to get delight in buying 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 worries about student residences and also other services. The Deputy Minister directed the institution to work with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily resolve the identified problems.

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 visits, the Deputy Minister has become accompanied by key 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 the delegation, assisting with all higher education related queries on each visit.

The issue of funding and administrative issues faced because of the NSFAS was orbit tvet college while in the spotlight through the Free State leg from the visits.

"NSFAS needs to get its act together, in order to ensure that student allowances get more info are paid on time with no delays. Delays cause serious challenges for learners; learners need allowances to more info 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 get more info a plan of action, announced by Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane at the special meeting of the Post Education get more info 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 to continue in other provinces, with North West higher education institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za