According to SABC News, non-profit organisation Youth Capital is calling for stronger intervention to address systemic challenges affecting technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges.
According to central news, the call comes after many students reported challenges such as going hungry, missing classes due to transport issues or dropping out because they cannot afford books, while graduates tell stories of having qualifications that employers do not value because the training feels outdated.
They further said that the youth capital, together with equal education, has raised the matter during human rights month, pointing out the way the current system is failing to treat college students with the dignity they deserve and is not properly training them for the corporate world.
They pointed out issues such as lecturer shortages, which affect training quality, NSFAS payment delays, and curriculum problems like outdated courses.
Youth capital leader, Buhlebethu Magwaza, stresses the unequal treatment between TVET college and university students.
“We all know that TVET students are not given the same allowance as university students, yet all these students have the same expenses. They are living in the same accommodations. They are affected by food prices, and the cost od living the same way,” says Magwaza.
“So you do not automatically need less money just because you are a TVET student, in fact some might argue that you need more because you have practicals. So there needs to be clear alignment between what the needs and lived experiences are of young people in the TVET system,” she added.
Central News reported that TVET colleges play a major role in combating youth unemployment by providing students with practical skills.
With the limited entry spaces into universities and the growing number of matriculants each year, TVET colleges remain the hope and clear pathway from schools to jobs.
Therefore, Youth Capital urges policymakers, the Department of Higher Education and Training, and colleges themselves to act with urgency to ensure that college students are treated with the same dignity as university students and receive proper training within an updated curriculum to better prepare them for the corporate world.
Sub-Editor : Matlala Kgaugelo
