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 a useful and viable substitute for advancing their professions.

The Deputy Minister was speaking throughout an oversight visit to the post-school education and schooling (PSET) establishments inside the Western Cape this 7 days.

Gondwe described the TVET colleges as essential for job creation and youth skills development from the nation.

The Deputy Minister frequented the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus, plus the Cape Peninsula {University of Technology (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town.

Gondwe's visits directed at evaluating the condition of readiness of higher education institutions across the country, forward of the 2025 educational year.

During the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to get pride in buying artisan expertise as they offer good entrepreneurship alternatives.

"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 concerns website about college student residences and various facilities. The Deputy Minister directed the institution to operate with the click here Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily resolve the discovered concerns.

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 lephalale tvet college Welkom campus.

In the course of the visits, the Deputy Minister has been accompanied by essential 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 challenges faced by the NSFAS was while in the get more info 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 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 capricorn tvet college institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za