South Africa: Department of Higher Education Urged to Swiftly Resolve Ongoing Delays in Phasing Out Outdated Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Courses

The Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) delays in scrapping outdated qualifications in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) risks leaving students with irrelevant skills and qualifications that do not meet labour market conditions, says the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education.

The committee yesterday visited the Qhayiya Campus of the Port Elizabeth College. Committee Chairperson Mr Tebogo Letsie said South Africa cannot afford to continue spending public funds training young people for jobs that no longer exist or are no longer in demand. The department is phasing out N4 to N6 programmes. These programmes consist of 18 months theoretical studies and another 18 months of practical experience.

The committee is concerned about oversubscribed courses in TVET colleges, such as office management and technology and marketing, that do not align with current conditions and should be phase out immediately.

“There must be a clear and urgent plan to deal with these issues, as every oversight we are confronted with the same issues in the TVET sector, where courses are not aligned with national priorities. It’s unfair to students and quite frankly it could qualify as a wasteful expenditure,” Mr Letsie said.

Committee members called for improved coordination between DHET and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to ensure that programmes offered by colleges respond to labour market needs. “The planning within the system must improve. Poor coordination is contributing to many of the challenges we are seeing on the ground. Colleges cannot be left alone to interpret and implement national policy without clear direction and support from the mother body, which is DHET,” the Chairperson said.

Furthermore, at the campus, the committee was met by protesting students who said that in 2025, a module that cost R1 700 was increased to R6 000 without prior notice. Students also had concerns about the lack of online learning options, saying this disadvantages those who cannot afford daily transport to campus.

The committee also noted that infrastructure at the Port Elizabeth College must never be allowed to deteriorate to a point where repairs become more expensive than regular maintenance. Management must take pride in their institutions, ensure routine upkeep and allocate proper budgets for maintenance, Mr Letsie said.

Lastly, the committee was particularly concerned that the campus does not have security cameras, which poses a safety risk to students, staff and college property. Mr Letsie urged management to urgently strengthen campus security measures.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.