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 being a precious and practical choice for advancing their occupations.

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

Gondwe described the TVET colleges as vital for job creation and youth skills development during the place.

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

Gondwe's visits directed at evaluating the point out of readiness of greater education institutions across the country, in advance of the 2025 educational year.

During the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to choose satisfaction in attaining artisan skills as they supply fantastic entrepreneurship prospects.

"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 tvet college courses without matric the second part of the visit, college students at CPUT expressed issues about student residences and also other services. The Deputy Minister directed the institution to work with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily solve the discovered troubles.

The Deputy Minister’s visit to the Western Cape, follows her recent visit to umfolozi tvet college higher education institutions in the Free State where she visited Goldfields TVET College and the Central University of Technology (CUT), at the Welkom campus.

During the visits, the Deputy Minister has long been accompanied by crucial senior officials from Higher Education and Training, and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

The tvet colleges open for applications Deputy Minister’s dedicated Help Desk has also formed part of the delegation, assisting with all higher education related here queries on each visit.

The issue of funding and administrative worries confronted by the NSFAS was inside 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 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 to continue in other provinces, with North West higher education here institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za