The Higher Education Department has plans in place to improve the functionality of the country’s TVET colleges throughout the course of the next few years. Here are more details about some of these planned interventions.
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has its sights set on integrating parts of the country’s public university curriculum with that of TVET colleges
During his fourth Higher Education and Training Department Budget vote, on Thursday afternoon last week, Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande stated that they were looking to introduce policies to make tertiary education more accessible.
According to Nzimande, the DHET set interventional targets, to reach by March 2024, aimed at increasing access to post-secondary education and training opportunities for TVET College students.
This is to be achieved by planning, establishing, and executing three policies, 102 strategic/annual performance plans, two frameworks, 33 guidelines, three programme assessment procedures, and three systems for TVET colleges.
Over the medium term, the DHET aims to improve student achievement and efficiency in post-secondary education and training;
- Using the TVET infrastructure and efficiency grant effectively to improve the teaching and learning environment at TVET colleges.
- Implementing the new examination system, which aims to alter the way national exams are conducted across the value chain, from question paper creation to certification of successful applicants.
- Reducing the certification backlog
- Boost pass and throughput rates, by enrolling students in prevocational learning programmes.
- Dedicated online curriculum training and placement in the industry for working exposure to improve the competency of TVET college lecturers.
- Review TVET college programmes and certifications to ensure that they are more responsive to and aligned with government interests.
- Increasing the supervision function of college councils and improving the governance capability of TVET colleges.
Nzimande also revealed that the department is also looking to improve student service delivery by mainstreaming occupational programme offerings through the centres of specialisation programmes.
By doing this, the DHET aims to expand the TVET curriculum and align it more directly with industry needs, and by establishing disability support units at four TVET colleges over the medium term.
In addition to this, the Higher Education ministry has said that it will improve the quality of postsecondary education and training by supporting the creation of 9 entrepreneurial hubs.
