Sowetan reports that higher education and training deputy minister Buti Manamela wants to change the perception that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges are for stupid people.  

This perception has arisen because TVET colleges are seen by many as inferior compared to universities.  Manamela, who studied electronics engineering at Tshwane North College, formerly Mamelodi College, after completing his matric in 1997, says the department has embarked on a massive campaign to encourage youngsters to register at TVET colleges, previously known as further education and training colleges.  SA has 50 TVET colleges, with close to 200 campuses, as opposed to 26 universities.  The department has declared August TVET Month and is using that as a platform to encourage young people to consider college programmes.  However, TVET colleges are underfunded and many of them have leadership and infrastructure problems and the department has set up a task team to address some of the challenges facing them.  Manamela routinely invites former TVET college students who are doing well in their careers to accompany him when he visits TVET colleges to motivate students.  He says TVET colleges are important and could play a vital role in transforming the skills shortage in the country.  The department is constructing new TVET colleges in Thabazimbi in Limpopo and Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal.

• Read more of this Sowetan report by Ngwako Modjadji at SA Labour News

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