Call For Rebranding OF Tvet Colleges TO Unlock Full Potential

Gondwe made the call during an Education World Forum (EWF), held recently in London, United Kingdom (UK).

The Deputy Minister led the South African delegation from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) at the EWF, which was held under the theme: From stability to growth; building stronger, better, bolder education together.

The Education World Forum is the world’s largest annual gathering of education and skills ministers. The event provides excellent networking and peer learning opportunities for ministers from around the world to discuss the most pressing issues in the education space.

This year’s Education World Forum explored a wide spectrum of critical issues surrounding the development of inclusive, responsive, and resilient education systems that drive equitable and sustainable socio-economic growth.

It also facilitated reflection on innovative solutions to tackle today’s pressing global challenges, with a focus on leveraging technology, public-private partnerships, and international collaboration.

The Deputy Minister participated in key discussions and engagements regarding themes, including girls' education, fostering public-private partnerships to drive innovation in education, and promoting vocational education and skills development, as pathways to youth employment and economic growth.

During a parallel session on vocational education and skills development, which included insights from Mauritius and Macedonia countries, Gondwe stressed a need for rebranding of TVET and community colleges, in order to make vocational education the first choice for students.

“In South Africa, TVETs and community colleges are often the second or third choice for students, and I think this is due to the fact that universities obtain a lion's share of our budget. Many students still wish to enrol at universities instead of technical colleges and our community colleges.

“Therefore, I think we need to ensure that TVETs provide future skills that will contribute to economic growth and job creation, such as robotics, AI [artificial intelligence], and coding,” the Deputy Minister said.

Strengthening public-private partnerships

In another key parallel session on public-private partnerships in education, which included contributions from Paraguay, Botswana, and Hungary education ministers, Gondwe advocated for the strengthening of public-private partnerships within the higher education sector to enhance the absorption of students in the economy.

She said her office has been working towards trying to leverage public-private partnerships, to ensure that students from the higher education sector can be absorbed into the economy as employees or create their own opportunities.

“I believe it is important to strengthen public-private partnerships in order to tackle the high rate of youth unemployment in our country, which aligns with the priorities of the Government of National Unity (GNU), which include job creation and reducing poverty levels,” the Deputy Minister said.

Insights from UK vocational colleges

While in the UK, Gondwe visited Richmond upon Thames College - a public academic and vocational training college in London, to gain first-hand insights into how vocational training colleges operate in the UK.

The college, which has over 2,000 students, offers a variety of courses, including Forensic Science, Carpentry, Aviation, Computing and Information Technology Installation, and Medical Sciences.

The college also boasts more than 1,500 engagements and partnerships with employers and its various courses designed by employers.

The visit to the college provided valuable lessons and insights on how close collaboration between vocational training colleges and industries, can ensure that young people are equipped with skills that are in demand and needed by the economy.