5th February 2025
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has inspired learners to look at the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges for a beneficial and viable different for advancing their professions.

The Deputy Minister was talking for the duration of an oversight visit for the post-school education and education (PSET) institutions from the Western Cape this 7 days.

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

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

Gondwe's visits targeted at evaluating the state of readiness of larger education institutions across the country, ahead of the 2025 academic year.

Through the visit at West Coast College, she encouraged learners to take delight in getting artisan expertise as they provide excellent entrepreneurship possibilities.

"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 about student residences together with other facilities. The Deputy Minister directed the institution to operate with the Student Representative Council (SRC), to speedily resolve the determined issues.

The Deputy Minister’s website 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.

Throughout the visits, the Deputy Minister has long been accompanied by crucial senior officers from Higher Education and Training, and get more info 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 worries faced with the NSFAS was during the spotlight throughout the Free State leg on 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; get more info learners need allowances to eat and to here 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 motheo tvet college continue in other provinces, with North West higher education institutions being the next on the list.
– SAnews.gov.za