Creating education and training pathways in South Africa Prof. Mandla Makhanya (Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor) and Gwebinkundla Qonde (Director-General of Higher Education and Training) during the signing of the memoranda of agreements formalising the partnerships between Unisa and 12 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. The South African National Development Plan highlights that by 2030 all citizens should have access to education and training of the highest quality, leading to significantly improved learning outcomes. The impacts of such education and training are many since this system will play a major role in building an inclusive society, providing equal opportunities, and helping people to realise their full potential, in particular those previously disadvantaged by apartheid policies, women, and people with disabilities. This was highlighted this morning by the Director-General of Higher Education and Training (DHET), Gwebinkundla Qonde, at the signing of the memoranda of agreements formalising the partnerships between Unisa and 12 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges. This partnership, which will enable TVET colleges to offer Unisa qualifications, is in line with one of the objectives of the White paper for post-school education and training, which is to create a seamless post school system and ensure articulation between universities and TVET colleges. The partnership also articulates the vision of the Ministerial Statement on Student Enrolment Planning for 2014 to 2019, which addresses student success, mobility and articulation, and institutional collaboration. Qonde said in order to realise this goal there should be clear linkages between schools, TVET colleges, universities, other providers of education and training, and employers. “We need to create a post-school education and training system that provides a range of accessible alternatives for young and older people in all post-school education and training institutions, where different parts of the education and training system work together allowing learners to take different pathways that offer high quality learning opportunities.” Unisa is one of two public universities that have begun to build partnerships with TVET colleges, he continued, thanking Unisa and the principals of the TVET colleges for establishing this partnership. “This shows courage and vision from your side. It sends out the message that the programme offerings on TVET college sites is expanding and making further learning opportunities accessible to students who would otherwise have been denied access to higher education courses. “And, as we are doing this, we must at the same time think and work out the appropriate support mechanisms that will be needed by these colleges as they are taking off. Because if we miss at the take-off, it may demoralise the entire sector; we must make it a point that this initiative succeeds for the sector to build on it,” said Qonde. Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mandla Makhanya said as the white paper is an important policy that will shape the future of the country’s education system, Unisa believes that this ground-breaking partnership is a practical expression of the objectives of the white paper. “It is a timely manifestation of the cooperation needed to ensure the best possible leveraging and utilisation of our respective capacities and resources to the benefit of our society.” The VC said government has identified TVET colleges as critical to their strategy to reduce poverty, create employment and accelerate long-term growth through technical, vocational and commercial training. However, for Unisa, the idea of collaboration with TVET colleges is not new, said the VC. In 2012, Unisa signed agreements with three TVET Colleges in the Western Cape–Boland College, Northlink College, and the College of Cape Town. These colleges were granted provisional approval by the minister of higher education and training to provide certain higher education qualifications. “Today Unisa will be signing agreements with 12 TVET colleges. The agreements have been some time in the making, characterised by the same commitment and good faith that will be required to ensure their successful continuation and successful implementation. In fact, I anticipate that as the agreements gain momentum we will discover additional, mutually beneficial collaborations and projects.” *By Rivonia Naidu-Hoffmeester The 12 TVET colleges are: East Cape Midlands College Letaba College Umfolozi College Port Elizabeth College False Bay College Western College Ekurhuleni East College West Coast Flavius Mareka College College of Cape Town Gert Sibande College NorthLink College Unisa will be offering various combinations of level 5 higher certificate programmes that allow students to articulate from school and TVET college programmes into diploma and degree studies. These programmes are: Tourism Management Banking Economic and Management Sciences Accounting Sciences Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Development: Foundation Phase)
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 14:37:39 +0000
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