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FET College Times ISSN 2076-7021 Volume 33 June 2013 The Official Quarterly DHET VCET College Newsletter and Journal FET Colleges strive for Work Integrated Learning “Work Integrated Learning” IN THIS ISSUE: A marriage of theoretical knowledge and practical application Cover Story elcome to the mid-year edition of an inspiration to us all. Read their Excellence awarded at WFET College Times. The focus amazing stories. In Campus Matters annual graduation Editorial Team of our attention at present must be we also mark the retirement of the critical subject of Work Integrated education stalwarts whose combined page 8 Editor: Keith Loynes Learning. In this edition we have tried careers represent a contribution of to bring you a few examples of good no less than 80 years of service. In From the Ministry Rotating Assistant-Editors: practice in the field of Work Integrated Policy and Operational Shifts we look René Bonzet, Ivan Swart, Learning as well as a thought provoking at those inspiring practices found in Page 3 Tina Little, Jandre Bakker, bit of research on the subject in our leading colleges from which we all can Willem Pienaar regular column, Intellectual Debate. learn. Read about Correspondence Cutting Edge News Language Editor: education as a successful mode of FET Page 4 - 5 Dr Peter Merrington As usual, our Contributors have been delivery, and the involvement of Unisa Design & Printing: very busy and there is something in FET College Education. We conclude Movers and Shakers Blue Dot Ink guaranteed to capture the interest of the column with some cutting-edge anyone even remotely interested in initiatives that promote world-class Copyright: DHET, Private Bag Page 6 - 7 Further Education and Training. We education and training practices in our X174, Pretoria, 0001 open with South Africa’s launch into colleges. Campus Matters South Africa, June 2013 WorldSkills, follow up with industry responsive education and training We trust that you will enjoy the articles Page 8 - 12 FET Colleges Website in the form of artisan development, that feature in this edition as much specialised training for the Plastic as we enjoyed their preparation. Meet Policy & Operational Shifts www.fetcolleges.co.za Injection Moulding industry and of us again in September as we delve Cover Photograph course Work Integrated Learning. As once again into the inner-workings of Page 14 - 18 usual in our Movers and Shakers inspiring FET College practices. College graduates. column, we profile people who are Happy reading! Intellectual Debate Photograph supplied by College Page 19 of Cape Town. FROM THE VCET DEPUTY Special Focus Features Waiver DIRECTOR GENERAL The views and opinions of Academic achievement pages 8 & 9 contributors do not necessarily et me begin by welcoming all impetus to the centrality of efficiency reflect those of DHET. Lseconded and transferred FET College and effectiveness of the sector, the VCET Partnerships FET College Times and the DHET personnel to the Department of Higher Branch, under the leadership of the pages 10 & 11 accept no liability with regard Education and Training, particularly the Director General, Mr Gwebs Qonde, has to authorship and content of Vocational and Continuing Education embarked on a nation-wide consultation ICT and E-learning articles and photographs and and Training (VCET) Branch. Colleagues programme with managers and key page 16 present these as the bona fide have been seconded to the Department stakeholders in the colleges with a contributions of correspondents. of Higher Education and Training from view to interrogating their performance FET College support units in Provincial in respect of pass rates, certification Contributors Departments of Education and from the rates, retention rates as well as work Management of FET Colleges. In this placements. This approach does not Own Correspondent, Tshwane instance, we refer to the Principals and only foster a culture of performance and Malopu, Heinrich Robertson, Deputy Principals, who have effectively accountability but it creates the space been transferred with effect from 1 April for benchmarking on good practice. Sandra Schmidt, Wendy Adams, 2013. The examination results are one of the Ivan Swart, Sharon Grobbelaar, indicators of the state of health of the Kirstie Phillips, Colleen These steps however do not signal system that produced them. With this Brennon, Corrie Myburgh, the end of the road in terms of many reality before us, it is clear that without VCET Deputy Director General, Robin Knott, Dan Nkosi, operational aspects related to the Shift exception a serious self-examination is Dr Maharaswa Vinoliah Ngangelizwe, of the Function of FET Colleges from required. Hopefully this reflection will Melody Marescia, Deon Halls, a Provincial competency to a National assist in achieving a common sense of of specifically youth unemployment. In Marian Theron, Marianne Elliot, competency. Thus, I wish to appeal purpose when it comes to the various conclusion, I would like congratulate for the full co-operation of all involved interventions that are being planned and Wilma de Villiers the FET College Times team for putting to ensure a successful conclusion of introduced. together processes and systems to Send contributions to: the process. In our view, the function ensure the national coverage of this shift presents a wonderful opportunity The Minister of Higher Education, Dr wonderful newsletter. The continuing Webmail: www.fetcolleges.co.za for the attainment of coherence and BE Nzimande, has declared 2013 as existence of the publication depends on FET College Times/Send Your cohesion in the FET sector. the Year of the Artisan. FET Colleges the subscription fees which all colleges Article play an integral part in this programme. must contribute. Let us use this platform Significant resources have been invested Colleges are responding positively as is to share our achievements, challenges Advertising & Editorial matters: in the colleges. The expected outcome evident from some of the articles in this and aspirations as well as showcase [email protected] therefore, is that the sector will be able publication. The opportunity we have that which makes us proud to be role- Fax: 012 312 7587 to supply the labour market with the as we commence with the planning players in the promotion of FET College Telephone: 012 312 6182 critical skills which are essential for cycle, is to systemically incorporate the education and training. Notwithstanding Closing Date: Tuesday, the development of the economy. The implementation thereof into the strategic the challenges, the sector has within a 30 July 2013 DHET has befittingly placed the quality plans of each college. Successfully short space of time, managed to occupy Supported by FET Colleges and of education and outcomes at the centre implemented, the programme can go its rightful place within the post-school advertisers of all college activities. In order to give a long way in addressing the challenges education and training system. 2 FET COLLEGE TIMES June 2013 FROM THE MINISTRY Minister speaks to SRCs Editor’s Note: call during his visit to Tshwane South have grown enormously over the last College in Mabopane on 12 February, few years, from about 350 000 in 2010 Speech by the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande where he made public pronouncement to over 650 000 last year. This has at the Student Representative Council Capacity Building Workshop held at the about government’s commitment to been made possible through a variety Burgers Park Hotel, Pretoria on 28 February 2013. The text that follows is an invest massively towards the expansion of strategies including a concerted extract from the Minister’s speech at the event. of the FET sector. As a Department, effort to raise popular consciousness we are looking to dramatically increase around the possibilities provided by an built and left a huge legacy of selfless enrolments in post-school institutions. FET education including the expansion leadership and commitment which The Green Paper that I referred to of shorter skills courses offered in FET we all have to emulate, protect and earlier, projects headcount enrolments colleges with the assistance of the promote. Above all, our actions and of four million in FET colleges and other SETAs. deeds must serve also to honour the non-university post-school institutions cause for which so many of them fought by 2030. This is in line with the NSFAS funding for loans and bursaries and died. This workshop is but one commitment provided in the NDP. to students in universities and colleges them and I hope that by the end, you has expanded massively from R2.375 will emerge with a focused approach, Our FET colleges are being encouraged billion in 2008 to well over R6 billion renewed sense of energy and selfless to build partnerships with private this year. In 2010, R318 million was commitment, the legacy that we providers to offer certain programmes awarded in bursaries and approximately inherited from the `76 generation. where it is felt necessary. These 65 000 FET students benefited. Since partnerships, however, must use the January 2011, the bursary scheme has Unlike the `76 generation who operated strengths of both the public and private been extended to students enrolled in under an extremely repressive and educational sectors and should help NATED Programmes who previously ruthless system, you are established to build the capacity of the public did not share in this benefit, with an and protected by law and have the full colleges. To this effect, the Department allocation that reached R1.2 billion. In Dr Blade Nzimande backing of the ANC-led government. has established a Work Integrated 2012, the allocation rose to R1.7billion This has meant a massive cash Learning (WIL) Chief Directorate for to which funds in excess of R100 million t is a great honour for me that for injection into the system, and so far, we purposes of co-ordination.