In Conversation With Sukoluhle Gamalitshoyo (SASCO Greater Johannesburg RTT additional member)
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The Department of Higher Education and Training has acknowledged that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in South Africa have not received the support they deserve.
As part of efforts to revamp the sector, the department is working on modernising college infrastructure and integrating new technologies into the curriculum. This was highlighted during Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s oversight visit to the Mankwe campus of Orbit TVET College in Mogwase, near Rustenburg.
During the visit, the campus received a R13 million donation in state-of-the-art technology from private investors, aimed at enhancing learning and bridging the skills gap in the labour market.
Minister Nkabane admitted that TVET colleges have long been under-supported and under-promoted. “I believe we, as a country, haven’t done enough to showcase what TVETs have to offer in terms of career pathways,” she said. “These institutions are designed to be inclusive and produce graduates who are highly competitive in the labour market. A TVET qualification can lead directly to self-employment or skilled work as artisans, electricians, and other trades. We’ve failed to highlight this potential.”
While students welcomed the new technology, they raised ongoing concerns about poor infrastructure and student housing.
As part of efforts to revamp the sector, the department is working on modernising college infrastructure and integrating new technologies into the curriculum. This was highlighted during Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s oversight visit to the Mankwe campus of Orbit TVET College in Mogwase, near Rustenburg.
During the visit, the campus received a R13 million donation in state-of-the-art technology from private investors, aimed at enhancing learning and bridging the skills gap in the labour market.
Minister Nkabane admitted that TVET colleges have long been under-supported and under-promoted. “I believe we, as a country, haven’t done enough to showcase what TVETs have to offer in terms of career pathways,” she said. “These institutions are designed to be inclusive and produce graduates who are highly competitive in the labour market. A TVET qualification can lead directly to self-employment or skilled work as artisans, electricians, and other trades. We’ve failed to highlight this potential.”
While students welcomed the new technology, they raised ongoing concerns about poor infrastructure and student housing.