Balfour – Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Minister Professor Blade Nzimande on Friday unveiled a new TVET College campus, at the Balfour campus of the Gert Sibande TVET College, in Mpumalanga.
The new campus was established to address the growing demand for TVET education, with enrolments increasing from 170 students in 2014 to 571 students.
The campus will offer a diverse range of programmes designed to meet the demands of our evolving economy – from engineering and information technology to healthcare and hospitality.
Valued at about R150 million, the campus is one of 12 new campuses built by the department as part of its infrastructure expansion programme in the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Nzimande stated: “This is without doubt one of the best ways in which we can mark 30 years of democracy by giving the people of the Gert Sibande District a state-of-the-art facility.”
The minister added: “I always tell people that, when my Department makes a promise to deliver on infrastructure, we deliver.
“Not only do we deliver on our promise to build infrastructure, when we deliver such infrastructure, we deliver top-class infrastructure.
“We do not unveil Mkokothelo buildings that were built with cheap materials.
“We do this because we believe our young people deserve the best.”
Professor Nzimande said the youth should also consider furthering their studies at TVET Colleges to assist in “resolving” the pandemic of youth unemployment.
The establishment of the branch happened in 2014 with a few registered students and it now has more than 600 students.
The minister said TVET College graduates should not only be employable but should create employment, boost the economy, and reduce the joblessness crisis.
“This state-of-the-art facility is for the community and they must utilise it in the right way. This is part of the government’s commitment to expanding vocational and training skills,” said Professor Nzimande.
“TVET Colleges are part of our solution to address the high youth unemployment rate.”
