Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges will become the institutions of choice for millions of young people and lay the foundation of education in South Africa, says Higher Education and Training Minister Naledi Pandor.

Increasingly, more youth are entering technical and vocational colleges as government refocuses its efforts on placing TVETs at the centre of the postschool education and training sector.

In 2009, there was one TVET enrolment for every four university enrolments. Currently, there is one TVET college student for every two university students enrolled.

However, while this ratio has improved, there is still much work to be done to promote the attractiveness of TVETs for youth and remedy the skills shortages South Africa currently faces.

“We have too many youth choosing to go to university and not enough coming into the technical and vocational education sector,” Pandor comments.

“We have in this country, as [have] many other countries around the world, placed an overemphasis on university education,” she says, highlighting that this has not only overloaded the university system, but also resulted in a struggle to find the relevant midlevel skills needed to drive the economy.

There is a need to start taking TVET colleges “more seriously” and to start recognising their significance in contributing to the development of skills required by the economy.

“We want to make TVET colleges first- choice institutions. This is where the future lies. This is where the skills we need are [going to be developed],” Pandor says.

This is particularly relevant in an era where Africa is launching a massive infrastructure development drive and the Southern African Development Community is driving the implementation of an industrialisation strategy.

South Africa needs more artisans, technicians and technologists, which only TVETs can provide, Pandor points out, noting that, in line with this, government has set a target to train 30 000 artisans a year by 2030.

In 2017, some 21 100 artisans graduated, with government well on track to realising this ambition.

“We are going to pursue these objectives in partnership with industry in South Africa,” she adds, citing plans to modernise the colleges, improve the quality of the teaching and learning processes and ensure they contribute to employment creation and enterprise development in South Africa.

“Much of our thinking and work at the moment is focused on ensuring that our curricula at colleges match and reflect the realities of the working world,” she says, encouraging more companies to get involved in hosting apprentices and preparing students for what exactly will be required in industry.

Pandor further encourages industry partners to “take ownership” of the qualifications and curriculum design, as well as the provision of practical work experience, to train and deliver skilled people ready for employment.