• Technical and Vocational Education and Training Colleges are worth a consideration for those who can’t find space at South Africa’s 26 universities and universities of technology.
• Deputy minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe says TVET colleges are the future of the country.
• This as they offer training in much needed skills including in the technology field.

Matriculants are now preparing for tertiary education. While many will be eyeing a spot at one of South Africa’s 26 universities and universities of technology, the unfortunate truth is that not everybody will find a place at a university.

The good news is that there are a number of alternatives including Technical And Vocational Education and Training colleges or simply, TVET colleges. These institutions offer practical education in a variety of disciplines from artisanal trades to software development. If a job requires practical knowledge, a course at a TVET may just put graduates in better stead than their peers at university.

This week, deputy minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, encouraged matriculants to consider an education at a TVET college.

“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, they also offer opportunities for learners to acquire future skills such as robotics, AI and coding,” the minister said in a statement.

On Monday, Gondwe visited the West Coast College Vredenburg Campus and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) Bellville Campus in Cape Town. Before this, the minister visited institutions in the Free State. These visits were done to insure that institutions were prepared for the 2025 academic year.

During the visits, a problem that seemed to keep coming to ahead was that of the funding and administrative challenges faced by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS. The embattled financial aid scheme has been plagued with problems for years at this point leaving many students that depend on the scheme lost in limbo.

The Deputy Minister had harsh words for NSFAS.

“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.

We side with Gondwe on her opinion of TVET colleges. As much as we need lawyers and doctors, we need folks with vocational skills as well. The relentless march of technology also means that TVET colleges now offer education and training in Fourth Industrial Revolution Skills.

You can find a list of the TVET Colleges in your province by heading to the Department of Higher Education and Training’s website. We do however, urge prospective students to properly vet a tertiary education institution before applying. All too often do fly-by-night scammers offer education without any sort of accreditation leaving students more knowledgeable but without a qualification and with significantly lighter bank accounts.

[Image – wal_172619 from Pixabay]