The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has restored funding for 182 Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) students who were defunded under the N+ rule after incorrect qualification codes were entered or updated.

The funding was restored after the Office of Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Yusuf Cassim intervened following more than 300 complaints submitted by TUT students through his help desk.

“Although these issues might seem administrative, for students they are highly personal, affecting their ability to register, access allowances for meals, transport or accommodation, and continue their studies. No student should miss academic time due to incorrect data or unresolved issues between the institution and NSFAS,” Cassim said.

The cases submitted to the help desk primarily concerned students who had been defunded under the N+ rule, pending GAP investigations, dual registrations and data-sharing problems between TUT’s financial aid office and NSFAS.

The N+ rule limits NSFAS funding to the minimum duration of a qualification plus one additional year, or two additional years for students with disabilities.

After receiving the cases from Cassim’s office, TUT and NSFAS worked through the individual files and identified 182 students whose qualification codes had been incorrectly updated.

The university subsequently made the necessary corrections, allowing NSFAS to restore the affected students’ funding.

TUT has confirmed that the funding has been fully restored and that September allowances have been paid to the 182 students.

Cassim visited TUT on Wednesday, accompanied by officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training’s university branch and NSFAS.

The delegation met TUT’s senior management, led by vice-chancellor Professor Tinyiko Maluleke, as well as representatives of the institution’s Student Representative Council.

The engagement also uncovered a separate problem involving more than 1,300 students whose accommodation payments remain unresolved.

According to the ministry, 1,212 students had been placed in accredited accommodation after the NSFAS portal closed, but their accommodation costs had not subsequently been paid.

A further 115 students had their NSFAS funding approved after the portal closed and consequently faced the same accommodation payment problem.

Cassim has written to the NSFAS board, asking that the cases be investigated without delay and that affected students be assisted immediately.

The intervention comes as NSFAS continues to work through a broader backlog of funding and allowance disputes affecting students at universities and TVET colleges.

The scheme has confirmed that payments have been processed for students whose GAP investigations were successfully concluded.

Nationally, funding has been reinstated for 2,476 TVET college students, with payments for students with valid registrations processed and issued from 25 August.

A further 3,234 university students have had their funding reinstated.

Cassim’s office said the deputy minister had been consistently following up on students whose funding was restored after the conclusion of GAP investigations to ensure they also received their outstanding allowances.

NSFAS has indicated that students whose GAP investigations have been successfully concluded but who have not yet received their allowances can approach the help desk to have their cases escalated.

Dual registrations have also emerged as a significant source of funding problems.

NSFAS received 2,982 records involving students who were registered at more than one institution. Of these, 1,303 cases have been confirmed and are being paid.

At TUT, 16 cases of dual registration had already been resolved, but the students’ funding had not yet been restored.

Cassim has urged NSFAS to prioritise the outstanding cases.

The ministry said the issues highlighted during the TUT engagement demonstrated how administrative and data-management problems can have immediate consequences for students’ ability to remain at university.

The latest intervention follows growing pressure on NSFAS and universities to resolve funding disputes quickly, particularly where students face disruptions to accommodation, transport and living allowances.

INSIDE POLITICS

The post Deputy minister steps in to restore funding for 182 TUT students appeared first on Inside Education..

Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Peace Mabe on Thursday handed over a new multipurpose sports facility at ED Mashabane Secondary School in Evaton, Gauteng, as part of efforts to expand access to sport and develop young talent.

The facility includes a combi court for soccer, basketball, netball, volleyball and tennis, as well as an outdoor gym, a children’s play area and newly planted trees.

Mabe said the facility, which has an expected lifespan of 14 years, would provide learners with a long-term platform to develop their sporting abilities.

Addressing learners during the handover, she said the investment was also aimed at strengthening the pipeline of athletes who could represent South Africa at future Olympic Games.

“We said in the next coming Olympics we should build a bigger and stronger team to represent South Africa in the Olympics,” Mabe said.

She said the country could not expect young people to compete at the Olympics without first providing the infrastructure and opportunities needed to develop their talents.

“This facility will produce people who are going to represent us in the next Olympics because we cannot say, come participate, be part of the Olympics, but we are not building enabling infrastructure,” she said.

Mabe said she wanted the facility to become a place where learners from different schools and backgrounds could discover and develop their sporting talents.

“We want to see children coming from far and all different schools saying, because of the facility in 2026, we are here because we got an opportunity to go and practise there,” she said.

She urged learners to take pride in the facility and use it responsibly.

“So love this combi court. If you love it, it is going to love you back,” she said.

Mabe said the facility was built to world-class standards and would provide an environment that supports both participation and athlete development.

She also highlighted the specialised material used for the sports surface, saying it was designed to reduce the impact on athletes’ joints.

“This facility is made out of a special plastic and that plastic, I’m told, looks after the joints,” she said.

Mabe said the department’s investment in sports infrastructure was about more than providing a place to play, but about creating opportunities for young people to build discipline, confidence and skills and potentially pursue sport professionally.

As part of the initiative, Mabe distributed sports apparel, books and equipment to three schools in the area: ED Mashabane Secondary School, Tokelo Secondary School and Mosioa Primary School.

The equipment is expected to give learners greater opportunities to participate in different sporting codes and develop their abilities, while the new facility will provide space for training and competitions.

Mabe urged learners to make full use of the facility and take responsibility for protecting and maintaining it.

She said the infrastructure belonged to the community and should remain available to future generations.

The handover forms part of the department’s efforts to strengthen school sport by improving access to sporting infrastructure and providing learners with resources to participate in different sporting codes.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Mabe unveils new sports facility at ED Mashabane Secondary School appeared first on Inside Education..

About 165 third-year Computer Science students at the University of the Witwatersrand will gain access to AI-powered software development tools through a new partnership between the Telkom Foundation, BCX, Alibaba Cloud and Wits.

The Qoder Programme aims to equip students with practical experience in emerging artificial intelligence technologies while they work on real-world software development projects.

The initiative is also intended to prepare young South Africans for an increasingly technology-driven economy and ensure university education keeps pace with changes in the workplace, particularly in software engineering.

“The Qoder Programme is an important step in equipping young South Africans with the digital skills required to thrive in a rapidly evolving technology landscape,” said Maanda Rashaka, senior manager at the Telkom Foundation.

“By partnering with BCX, Alibaba Cloud and Wits University, we are helping students not only engage with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, but also use them responsibly and creatively to solve real-world challenges.”

Professor Richard Klein, head of the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at Wits, said AI was already changing how software was developed and applied across industries.

“Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the way software is developed, researched and applied across every industry,” he said.

Alibaba Cloud will provide students with access to its Qoder platform, giving them practical exposure to AI-assisted development tools and emerging approaches to software engineering.

BCX, Telkom Group’s technology solutions business, will contribute industry expertise and help strengthen the link between academic learning and the skills required in the technology sector.

Klein said the partnership would help ensure that Wits’ curriculum kept pace with global technological developments.

“It is important that our curriculum evolves alongside these global developments. Through the Qoder Programme, our students gain access to technologies that enhance their learning experience and better prepare them for the realities of modern software engineering,” he said.

According to the partners, students will gain exposure to artificial intelligence, cloud technology, data and modern software development while applying emerging technologies to practical challenges.

The programme will also focus on responsible and creative use of AI as a tool in software development.

Wits said the partnership ultimately aims to strengthen pathways between education, technology and employment while expanding access to future-focused digital skills among young South Africans.

“At the Telkom Foundation, we believe that access to opportunity begins with access to the right tools, knowledge and experiences,” Rashaka said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post 165 Wits students to gain AI-powered development skills appeared first on Inside Education..

The Department of Higher Education and Training is considering expanding its Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme to TVET colleges as government seeks to equip more students with the skills and support to start businesses and create jobs.

Deputy Director-General for the University Education Branch at the department, Professor Thandi Lewin, said discussions were already under way on how the programme, or a similar model, could be introduced in TVET colleges.

Lewin was speaking to Inside Education on the sidelines of the 2026 EDHE Absa Studentpreneurs Indaba at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg on Thursday.

The two-day national gathering brought together about 500 student entrepreneurs, academics, investors, university leaders, industry stakeholders and entrepreneurship ecosystem partners.

Lewin said the expansion was particularly important as TVET colleges increasingly move towards occupational programmes.

“But I think as the TVET colleges go more into the occupational programmes and into that space, we need to really think about how this programme, or a similar programme, can be set up in the TVET colleges. So it is something we’re talking about as a department,” Lewin said.

She said TVET colleges could draw on the experience gained from implementing the programme at universities.

The EDHE programme is currently funded through the University Capacity Development Programme, with a portion of the subsidy allocated to universities being used to support the initiative.

“At the moment, the funding for this programme comes through the University Capacity Development Programme, so it’s specifically a portion of the subsidy that we provide to universities that is top-sliced for this programme,” Lewin said.

“It’s something that could have huge traction in TVET colleges and we can learn a lot from how we’ve used the university programme to implement it in TVET colleges.”

The programme is aimed at making entrepreneurship a broader part of the higher education experience, rather than focusing only on students who already run businesses.

Lewin said it had three main pillars.

The first supports student entrepreneurship through programmes designed to help students start and develop businesses.

The second seeks to embed entrepreneurship in the curriculum so that students, regardless of their field of study, are exposed to entrepreneurial thinking.

The third focuses on developing entrepreneurial universities that can turn research, teaching and innovation into real-world solutions.

“The idea of the programme is to ensure that university students get access to entrepreneurship education throughout their degrees, regardless of which field they’re going into,” Lewin said.

She said the broader objective was to ensure students could either find employment after graduation or create employment for themselves and others.

However, balancing entrepreneurship with academic responsibilities remains a challenge for students running businesses while studying.

Lewin said universities provided various forms of academic and student support, while mentorship through EDHE could help student entrepreneurs manage competing demands.

“The difficulty that probably students who are also running businesses face is the same that students who also work are facing: how to balance your academics with earning money if you are working on the side?” she said.

She said students who chose entrepreneurship needed to develop the ability to manage both their studies and businesses.

“Through this programme, I think some of the mentorship work that gets done through the EDHE programme really helps with that,” Lewin said.

The department also acknowledged that entrepreneurship training alone was not enough, particularly when students and graduates need funding, mentorship and other support to grow their businesses.

Lewin said government departments and agencies would need to work together to ensure young people could access the support needed to turn entrepreneurial ideas into sustainable businesses.

“We also need to work across government to ensure that when people do graduate, and even if they don’t, that they have access to funding opportunities and to mentorship and support that they can gain access to,” she said.

This includes agencies such as the National Youth Development Agency, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Department of Small Business Development.

The push comes as government increasingly looks to entrepreneurship and skills development as part of its response to high youth unemployment.

Lewin said graduates were generally less likely to be unemployed than young people without higher education qualifications, but the department wanted universities to prepare students to enter the labour market or create opportunities for others.

“The fact is that if you graduate from university you’re far less likely to be unemployed than if you are not making it into university. So graduate unemployment is not as high. Obviously, what we want is to create young people at universities who are able to go out into the world and either find employment or create employment for themselves and for others,” she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Government plans to expand EDHE student entrepreneurship programme to TVET colleges appeared first on Inside Education..

The Department of Basic Education is using the classroom as a frontline in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), rolling out new Life Orientation and Life Skills textbooks aimed at equipping learners to navigate issues including consent, healthy relationships, safety, wellbeing and citizenship.

Deputy Basic Education Minister Reginah Mhaule and North West Education MEC Desbo Mohono on Thursday officiated at the At the Crossroads Life Orientation/Life Skills Textbook Activation Launch and Textbook Handover at Rutanang Primary School in the Boitshoko Circuit, Bojanala District.

Mhaule said the rollout includes 14,714 learner textbooks and 250 teacher guides, developed in line with the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Grades 4 to 12.

The materials will be distributed to 18 schools in the circuit and reach about 9,064 learners.

The Life Orientation textbook project began in 2017, but Mhaule said the Council of Education Ministers later undertook a review of the curriculum to determine whether it adequately reflected the realities faced by learners.

“The honest answer, at the time, was ‘No. Not fully.’ And so, the work began to change that,” Mhaule said.

She said the rollout marked the activation of a programme rather than the conclusion of a project.

“We officially launched the At the Crossroads textbook series nationally in June last year. What we are doing today, here in Bojanala District, is different and, in many respects, more important. We are moving from policy documents to the hands of a Grade 7 learner in Tantana, a Grade 10 learner in Boitekong, a teacher in Lerutlhware preparing tomorrow’s lesson,” she said.

Mhaule said the success of curriculum reform would ultimately be determined in classrooms rather than government offices.

“This is why the training of our Subject Advisors and Heads of Department matters so much. A textbook, however well written, is only as powerful as the educator who brings it to life,” she said.

Mhaule said GBVF was among the most serious threats to the safety, dignity and future of children, particularly girls, and that education had to form part of the response.

“We cannot legislate our way out of this crisis alone. We cannot police our way out of it either,” she said.

“We must educate our way through it, patiently and consistently, from the earliest grades, so that our learners grow up understanding consent, respect, healthy relationships and their own worth, long before those lessons are tested by the pressures of adolescence and adulthood.”

She said this was the purpose of the revised Life Orientation and Life Skills curriculum.

Mhaule thanked the GBVF Response Fund for supporting the programme, particularly the training of Subject Advisors and Heads of Department.

She also acknowledged the Eskom Development Foundation for supporting the printing and distribution of the textbooks, saying its Electricity Safety Awareness Campaign reflected the broader principle that child safety could not be confined to a single lesson or subject.

“Safety on our roads, safety around water, safety around electricity infrastructure, food safety in the school nutrition programme, safety within our relationships and safety with our own bodies,” she said.

“These are all part of the same conversation about protecting the well-being of a child.”

Addressing learners, Mhaule said young people should play an active role in shaping discussions around their safety and wellbeing.

She encouraged them to use the textbooks, ask difficult questions and speak out when they encountered wrongdoing.

“An educated learner who knows their rights is one of the strongest defences we have against gender-based violence, against unsafe choices and against the social ills that continue to threaten the promise of a better life for all,” she said.

Mhaule said the 18 schools in the Boitshoko Circuit would serve as a pilot for the programme, with lessons from its implementation informing its expansion to other provinces.

“To our principals, subject advisors and educators here in the Boitshoko Circuit, you are the custodians of this pilot,” she said.

“What happens in your eighteen schools over the coming months will generate lessons that inform how we take this programme to the Northern Cape, to the Western Cape, and nationwide.”

She urged educators to use the textbooks consistently and participate in monitoring and evaluation processes so that the department could identify what worked and what needed to be improved before the programme was expanded.

Mhaule also described the initiative as an example of the role partnerships can play in addressing social challenges.

“The Department of Basic Education, the National Education Collaboration Trust, the Eskom Development Foundation and the GBVF Response Fund have chosen to walk this road together so that 14,714 learners in this district will open a new textbook tomorrow morning, written for them, about them and in service of their futures,” she said.

She called on other strategic partners to support the initiative, saying there was a need for more organisations to contribute to the programme.

Mhaule said learners stood at a crossroads in making decisions about relationships, safety, citizenship and the people they wanted to become.

“Let us make sure that what we place there is honest, relevant and rooted in respect for their dignity,” she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post DBE turns to classrooms in fight against GBVF with new Life Orientation textbooks appeared first on Inside Education..

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has vowed to tighten controls across the post-school education and training sector after Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigations uncovered alleged corruption, procurement failures and misuse of public funds at institutions including TVET colleges.

Manamela said his department would act on SIU recommendations, including changes to procurement processes, governance, financial controls and oversight.

The department would also monitor how institutions respond to findings and referrals arising from the investigations, including criminal, disciplinary and regulatory processes.

“We must not only investigate what went wrong; we must fix the systems that allowed it to happen,” Manamela said.

He was speaking after receiving a briefing from SIU head Leonard Lekgetho and his team on investigations into allegations of corruption, fraud and maladministration across the post-school education and training sector.

The briefing covered investigations involving the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), National Skills Fund, University of Fort Hare, Vaal University of Technology and the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority.

The investigations have exposed a range of problems at TVET colleges, including payments for training that allegedly never took place, incomplete projects, irregular procurement and weak monitoring of service providers.

At Ingwe TVET College in the Eastern Cape, the SIU investigated an R187 million project intended to support the turnaround of the college and artisan development in Lusikisiki and Bizana.

The SIU found that service provider Ada Holdings received R132.98 million from the National Skills Fund but allegedly failed to train learners despite receiving payment.

Investigators also found that training facilities were not completed according to the required specifications.

More than R105 million was transferred between companies linked to the service provider, including R52.49 million paid to Artisan Development, R45.03 million to Umbani and R7.39 million to PWC Institute.

The SIU said it was investigating the financial transfers to establish why the money was moved between the companies.

Some lecturers involved in the project also told investigators they had not received certificates for training that was allegedly conducted.

The SIU appointed a quantity surveyor to determine the amount spent on the incomplete buildings and indicated that it could approach the Special Tribunal to recover funds.

In another investigation, the SIU examined a National Skills Fund project involving Rubicon Communications, where about R2.7 million was paid for a training programme. Investigators found that no training had taken place.

At Vaal University of Technology, SIU intervention resulted in the cancellation of a security contract, preventing an estimated R109 million in future expenditure.

The investigations have also resulted in recoveries.

According to the department, more than R2 billion in NSFAS-related funds has been recovered from universities and TVET colleges.

The University of Fort Hare investigation resulted in acknowledgements of debt worth about R5.4 million, while an acknowledgement of debt of about R2.7 million, plus interest and costs, was recorded in the Rubicon Communications matter involving the National Skills Fund.

Repayments in the Rubicon matter are under way.

Manamela said the government could not allow wrongdoing in the sector to continue without consequences.

“Where public resources have been misused, there must be consequences. Where wrongdoing is established, those responsible must be held accountable. Where money can be recovered, it must be recovered and redirected to its intended purpose,” he said.

He said the impact of losses extended beyond the financial cost.

“Behind every rand lost or misused is an opportunity denied to a student,” Manamela said.

“Every skills-development programme that is funded but not delivered robs a young person and our economy of an opportunity.”

Manamela also warned that wrongdoing involving qualifications could damage the credibility of the education system and devalue legitimate qualifications.

“Any qualification improperly or fraudulently obtained undermines the integrity of our education system and devalues the qualifications of those who have worked hard to earn them,” he said.

The department said it would strengthen its monitoring of SIU matters and hold affected accounting authorities, councils and management structures accountable for implementing recommendations.

Manamela stressed that the SIU must be allowed to conduct its investigations independently, while the rights of people affected by ongoing investigations must be respected.

He said people implicated in ongoing investigations should not be treated as having been found guilty before the relevant processes had been completed.

The department said it would continue working with the SIU, law-enforcement agencies and other authorities to pursue corruption cases and implement reforms across the sector.

“Our ultimate objective is to build a PSET system in which public resources are protected, institutions are properly governed, qualifications retain their integrity and students can have confidence that the system is working in their interests,” Manamela said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Manamela vows to tighten controls after SIU exposes TVET college failures appeared first on Inside Education..

Three University of Johannesburg (UJ) researchers have been recognised at the 2026 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards, with Professor John Maina receiving his fourth A-rating and two emerging scholars honoured for research excellence.

The awards ceremony was held at the Boardwalk Hotel and Casino in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, under the theme “Building an Inclusive, Impactful and Transformed Research Future”.

The theme reflects the NRF’s Vision 2030 and its five strategic pillars of Transformation, Innovation, Sustainability, Excellence and Impact.

Among this year’s UJ recipients were Maina and PhD researcher Anathi Msobo from the Faculty of Science, as well as Digital Media Design lecturer Nthabiseng Mabale, who is pursuing a PhD in Media Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Maina, a researcher in UJ’s Department of Zoology, received his fourth NRF A-rating.

An A-rating is awarded to researchers recognised by their peers as leading international scholars in their fields, based on the quality and impact of their recent research. Each rating is valid for six years.

Maina’s work focuses on respiratory systems in animals and how they have evolved and adapted. He studies how different species exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide across aquatic and terrestrial environments.

His research uses technologies including three-dimensional computer reconstructions, micro-computed tomography scanning, microscopic cell imaging and detailed physical measurements.

More recently, he has been investigating the use of bird lungs and fish gills as bioindicators of environmental pollution. He is also studying ostrich eggshell structures and the development of the chorioallantoic membrane, which enables an embryo to exchange gases while developing inside the egg.

The work could help identify structural factors contributing to poor ostrich egg hatchability, with potential benefits for South Africa’s ostrich farming industry.

Mabale, a lecturer in UJ’s Department of Multimedia, received a Research Excellence Award for Next Generation Researchers.

She is pursuing a PhD in Media Studies at Wits University titled Fortification of Self-Reliance and Independence of Black South African Women in Informal Businesses.

Her research examines how digital tools can support women traders operating in Johannesburg’s Kwa Mai-Mai community.

She works with the traders as co-creators of knowledge, documenting their experiences, business practices and challenges while exploring ways digital technologies can strengthen economic self-reliance.

The research is funded through the NRF-FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Black Academics Advancement Programme, which supports Black academics pursuing doctoral qualifications.

Msobo, a PhD researcher in UJ’s Department of Biochemistry, also received a Research Excellence Award for Next Generation Researchers.

Her NRF-funded work investigates antiviral compounds in South African medicinal plants, including natural compounds with the potential to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, a protein the virus relies on to replicate.

She combines artificial intelligence, computational science, advanced chemistry and laboratory testing to accelerate the identification of potentially useful compounds.

The approach could contribute to antiviral drug discovery and pandemic preparedness while building expertise in biotechnology, metabolomics and computational drug discovery.

Delivering the keynote address at the ceremony, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Professor Blade Nzimande raised concerns about the concentration of research funding and infrastructure at historically stronger institutions.

According to Nzimande, about 63% of NRF funding goes to the 10 universities with the highest research outputs, while 83% of South African Research Chairs Initiative Chairs are hosted at top-output universities.

He said efforts were being made to broaden participation at historically disadvantaged institutions, universities of technology and newer universities.

Earlier this year, 41 new SARChI Chairs were awarded specifically to these institutions. The NRF has also begun implementing its University Programmes and Collaborations initiative to strengthen research and human-capital capacity at historically disadvantaged institutions.

“The issue is crucial not for posterity, but for practical reasons: to ensure our country, with its scarce resource base, makes full use of its institutional resources to reach deeper and wider into every corner of South Africa and unleash its full potential,” Nzimande said.

The 2026 NRF Awards also included Lifetime Achievement Awards for Professor Jonathan Jansen of Stellenbosch University’s Department of Education and Professor Helen Rees of the University of the Witwatersrand’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

UJ Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Letlhokwa George Mpedi said the awards reflected the university’s growing research profile.

“The NRF Awards represent a wonderful and prestigious recognition for any scholar; it is something to treasure. UJ has over the years shown a stronger performance in these prestigious awards, and this year is not different,” Mpedi said.

UJ Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation Professor Refilwe Phaswana-Mafuya said the recipients reflected the work being done by established and emerging scholars at the university.

“The awards show the quality of the research, not only for its own sake but for societal impact and sustainability. As a university, we are immensely proud of the achievements and of the work of our scholars, and we hope the awards will inspire more students,” she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post UJ researchers honoured at 2026 NRF Awards appeared first on Inside Education..

Durban University of Technology (DUT) has finalised the allocation of a R1.15 million Motsepe Foundation donation to students burdened by historical debt, months after the funding was provided to the university’s Student Representative Council.

DUT said the contribution was made at the beginning of the year and was aimed at providing financial relief to students facing outstanding historical fees.

“The payment process for students identified through DUT’s Financial Aid processes has now been finalised, marking an important milestone in the initiative and providing support to students affected by historical debt,” the university said.

“The donation was received by representatives of the DUT SRC, with the funding directed towards assisting students identified as beneficiaries through the relevant processes,” it said.

“This contribution will make a meaningful difference to students who have been carrying historical debt. As the SRC, we recognise the responsibility that comes with managing this support and remain committed to ensuring that the initiative reaches the students it is intended to assist,” said SRC Finance Officer Thalente Mteshane.

Mteshane, who serves as SRC Finance Officer for the 2025 to 2027 term, said partnerships such as the one with the Motsepe Foundation were important in addressing challenges faced by students.

“Financial challenges can place significant pressure on students and can affect their ability to focus on their studies. Support such as this provides much-needed relief and gives students an opportunity to continue working towards completing their qualifications,” he said.

The R1.15 million contribution follows a R1.1 million donation made by the Motsepe Foundation to the DUT SRC in 2024.

That funding was allocated to initiatives supporting students with historical debt, food security, gender-based violence, mental health and peace building.

The Foundation has also previously provided funding to assist DUT students with registration.

“For students, historical debt can present significant challenges, particularly where outstanding fees affect their ability to progress or complete their academic journey. The latest intervention therefore provides important support to students identified through the University’s Financial Aid processes.”

DUT said the initiative also demonstrated the value of partnerships between universities, student leadership and external organisations.

“DUT appreciates the Motsepe Foundation for its continued support of the University’s students and its commitment to initiatives that contribute towards student success.”

“The partnership demonstrates the value of collaboration between higher education institutions, student leadership structures and external stakeholders in addressing challenges that can affect students’ ability to succeed.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post DUT finalises R1.15m Motsepe Foundation allocation for students with historical debt appeared first on Inside Education..

Gauteng has 405,627 available school places for the 2027 academic year, but the province says a mismatch between where capacity exists and where families want their children to attend is fuelling overcrowding at popular schools.

The Gauteng Department of Education received 805,688 applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 for 2027, representing 346,877 individual learners after accounting for parents who applied to multiple schools.

Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile said at a press briefing on Sunday about online placements and admissions for 2027 that the figures show that the province’s problem is not simply a shortage of school places, but the concentration of demand in particular areas and schools.

“We have 405,627 available spaces. So in theory, we don’t have a problem,” Maile said.

However, he said the available capacity could not simply be used to accommodate learners because parents’ demand is heavily concentrated around certain schools.

At Grade 8 level, Hoërskool Langenhoven in Tshwane West received 3,462 applications, while Alberton High School received 2,756, Katlehong Secondary School 2,747, Katlehong Engineering School of Specialisation 2,573 and Parktown Boys’ High School 2,448.

At Grade 1 level, Laerskool Akasia received 1,355 applications, followed by Palmridge Primary School with 1,330, Alston Primary School with 1,207, Lakeside Primary School with 1,162 and Stoneridge Primary School with 1,153.

Maile said the department could not move learners from one part of the province to another simply because another school had available classrooms.

“I went to a school in Sebokeng. I think they’ve got space for about 500. There’s space for about 500, but it’s in Sebokeng. And then if you go to a school here in Alex, there are 500 more or 1,000 more, but Alex is here. So you can’t take those kids from Alex to Sebokeng because they stay here in Alex,” he said.

Maile said the department needed to rethink how existing capacity across Gauteng’s public schools is used, rather than continually expanding schools that are already popular.

He said the pressure was particularly difficult when thousands of parents selected a school that could accommodate only a fraction of the applications.

The department said placement would therefore have to follow its prescribed criteria, including the learner’s home address and proximity to the school.

Other factors include whether the learner has a sibling at the school, the learner’s previous school in the case of Grade 8 applicants, the parent’s work address and whether the learner lives within 30 kilometres of the school.

Where none of the schools selected by a parent has available space, the department may offer a place at the next closest school with capacity.

Maile said the concentration of learners at popular schools also had consequences beyond admissions.

“Unfortunately, where there’s overcrowding, there’s many other social problems because sometimes kids don’t have enough furniture and that becomes a source of fights amongst learners. There’s bullying, gangsterism, and all those issues,” he said.

The province is also facing pressure to increase capacity as Gauteng’s population grows and new residential areas develop.

Maile said the department had identified the need to build at least 200 schools, which he estimated would require at least R35 billion.

“Those schools include some of the schools that are just temporary schools,” he said.

The department said it was considering a combination of permanent infrastructure, public-private partnerships, alternative construction methods and mobile classrooms to respond to demand.

It is also considering whether leasing mobile classrooms could be more practical than buying them in areas where enrolment pressures are temporary or likely to shift.

At the same time, Maile said the province needed to make better use of existing facilities, including underused libraries, while expanding hybrid and e-learning.

“If you’ve got, for instance, libraries, which are not utilised and classrooms are full, you can still have kids going to those libraries and we teach them from there,” he said.

The department said placement offers for learners with complete applications are scheduled to begin on 15 October.

Parents will receive offers by SMS and will have seven days to accept or decline an offer. Placement will continue through the remainder of the year as the department works to accommodate all learners.

Maile said the goal was to have as many learners placed as possible before January to reduce the disruption that typically accompanies the start of the school year.

The department has also warned parents against paying people who claim they can secure school places, saying such payments amount to corruption and cannot guarantee admission.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Gauteng has enough school places, but not where parents want them appeared first on Inside Education..

The Cape Peninsula University of Technology has extended its 2026 academic programme after losing about three weeks of teaching time during a student shutdown, with the revised calendar now expected to run until 14 December.

“Senate, at its special meeting, considered the proposed adjustments to the 2026 academic calendar following the disruption of the academic programme and the loss of approximately three weeks of tuition,” CPUT management said in a statement.

“Its intention was to restore the academic year and to safeguard the students’ graduation prospects across all qualification levels.”

The shutdown began in early August over a range of financial and governance grievances, with CPUT’s proposed 2027 Financial Recovery Plan at the centre of the dispute.

Students objected to proposals that could have required some returning students to make an upfront payment of as much as R7,000 to register in 2027. Other grievances included historical student debt, residence costs, the NSFAS accommodation funding cap, access to academic records and what student leaders said was inadequate consultation over the proposed financial changes.

CPUT initially said the plan was still under consideration and that no final decisions had been made. Council withdrew the draft plan on 12 August for further consultation, but the protest action continued.

READ| This is why CPUT students are protesting

The unrest later escalated, with CPUT reporting damage across three campuses, including broken windows, a burnt vehicle, damaged classroom, flooded buildings and damage to security equipment and the recently restored IKAMVA building.

On 17 August, the Old Education building at the Bellville campus was set alight. CPUT described the incident as an arson attack and the following day ordered all campuses closed, suspended academic activities and instructed students to leave university residences.

Student leaders rejected suggestions that they supported the destruction of university property.

Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela subsequently sent a departmental team to facilitate talks between university management, Council and student leaders.

READ| Manamela steps in as arson, violent student protests shut down CPUT campuses

At a Special Council meeting on 29 August, CPUT unconditionally withdrew the draft Financial Recovery Plan and agreed that students who had accumulated debt because of the NSFAS accommodation cap should be allowed to receive their academic transcripts and certificates.

The same meeting asked Senate to consider adjustments to the 2026 calendar to “rescue the academic project”.

Under the revised programme, the scheduled recess from 4 to 14 September will remain unchanged.

Tuition will be extended by two weeks, while faculties will recover the equivalent of another five teaching days through arrangements suited to their disciplines.

“Based on the current scenario the revised adjusted calendar will complete by 14 December 2026,” the university said.

Implementation is dependent on academic activities resuming on 14 September.

CPUT said operational support departments would continue cleaning and repairing damaged facilities to ensure campuses were ready for students and staff to return.

Reassessments and special assessments will be accommodated during the existing January 2027 reassessment period, while the summer graduation scheduled for 10 December will proceed as planned.

Additional days worked by academic staff will be credited to their leave, subject to further discussions and finalisation through the university’s human capital processes.

“Staff who complete their academic responsibilities earlier, could commence leave sooner by arrangement with their Heads of Department,” the statement said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post CPUT extends academic year after three weeks of lost tuition from protests appeared first on Inside Education..

Nearly half of older learners who leave school before completing Grade 12 are affected by financial pressure or barriers to progression, with a lack of money for fees emerging as the single biggest stated reason for non-attendance among 16 to 18-year-olds.

The findings are contained in the Department of Basic Education’s latest analysis of the 2024 General Household Survey (GHS), released in August, which shows that while the country has made progress in keeping children in school, “the drop-out problem in South Africa is mainly among older learners”.

According to the report, 23% of 16 to 18-year-olds who were not attending an educational institution in 2024 said the main reason was a lack of money for fees. A further 12% said they had not been accepted for enrolment.

The report found that the risk of dropping out rises sharply in the later grades.

For the most recent cohort, covering young people born between 1998 and 2000 and surveyed between 2022 and 2024, the grade-specific dropout rate increased from 11.9% after Grade 10 to 20.9% after Grade 11. By comparison, dropout rates remained below 4% from Grades 1 to 6.

The report states that dropout rates are “low in the primary school grades and increase with each grade, peaking after Grade 11”.

This means learners are generally more likely to remain in school during their primary years, but the pressure becomes much greater as they approach the end of secondary school.

It also found that 29.8% of those in the latest cohort who reported completing Grade 11 did not complete any further education and were therefore assumed to have dropped out.

The DBE said, however, that the reasons learners give for not attending school should not automatically be regarded as the underlying causes of dropout.

“The main predictor of dropping out is poor quality early education,” the report states.

It explains that the reasons reported by learners may instead be immediate triggers for leaving school, particularly among those already struggling academically.

The report notes that these factors may not necessarily result in dropout among learners who are progressing well, “especially if they are in a good quality school”.

The findings come against a general improvement in school survival rates. Among young people aged 22 to 26, the proportion completing Grade 12 increased from 38% among those born between 1979 and 1981 to 60.3% among those born between 1998 and 2000.

The report says the improvement in survival rates is particularly evident among younger generations. For the latest cohort, the survival rate was 92.2% by Grade 9, 86.5% by Grade 10 and 76.2% by Grade 11, before falling to 60.3% at Grade 12.

Overall, the number of children aged seven to 18 who were out of school declined from about 435,292 in 2013 to approximately 405,718 in 2024.

Among 16 to 18-year-olds, the number fell from about 325,166, or 11%, in 2013 to approximately 265,723, or 8.6%, in 2024.

The financial pressure on older learners nevertheless stands out in the 2024 findings. This is despite the expansion of the no-fee school policy, which has increased the proportion of public-school learners paying no school fees from about 50% in 2009 to approximately 71% in 2024.

“The main reason (97,5%) given for not paying fees by learners in public schools was that the school did not ask for fees,” the report states.

The increase in no-fee schooling means that the cost of school fees is not affecting all learners in the same way. However, the GHS findings show that money remains a barrier for a significant group of older learners who are already outside the education system.

The proportion of seven to 15-year-olds outside the education system has remained relatively stable at around 1.2%.

Among seven to 15-year-olds, disability was the main reason identified for non-attendance. The report notes, however, that about 87% of learners with disabilities do attend an educational institution.

A smaller group of learners also said they were out of school because they regarded education as having no value.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Money, poor performance drive dropouts among older learners appeared first on Inside Education..

A Grade 7 learner died on Thursday after being electrocuted at Mokutupi Primary School in Limpopo’s Mopani West District during lunch break.

According to preliminary investigations by the Limpopo Department of Education, the learner was electrocuted next to a mobile classrooms on the school premises.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa motivated by impeachment consequences, court hears

The learner was certified dead at the scene following the arrival of emergency services, despite efforts by members of the school and paramedics to save the child’s life.

The department said an investigation was underway to determine the circumstances that led to the incident.

“The department extends its deepest condolences to the learner’s family, friends, fellow learners, educators and the entire Mokutupi Primary School community during this difficult time, while currently working with the relevant authorities to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident,” said the department in a statement on Friday.

ALSO READ: Ntuthuzelo Vanara replaces Johnson at IDAC as acting head

It said assessments would be conducted to ensure that the safety and security of learners and staff were not compromised.

It also called for calm at the school and in the community while investigations continue.

The department said psychosocial support would be provided to affected learners and staff members to assist them in dealing with the trauma caused by the incident.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Grade 7 learner electrocuted to death at Limpopo school appeared first on Inside Education..

The Gauteng Department of Health has selected 18 young people from disadvantaged communities across the province to study medicine in Cuba through the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro (NMFC) Medical Training Programme.

The latest cohort, comprising 10 males and eight females, was selected from 2,480 applicants following a competitive recruitment process launched in May 2025.

Among those selected is 20-year-old Zezethu Swelindawo from Cosmo City in Johannesburg, who described the opportunity as a life-changing step towards her dream of becoming a doctor.

The candidates were selected from all five Gauteng districts — Tshwane, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Sedibeng and the West Rand.

Of the 2,480 applications received, 740 candidates met the qualifying criteria and progressed to the next stage. A further 91 were shortlisted based on their academic performance, socio-economic circumstances and potential contribution to the healthcare sector.

The shortlisted candidates came from households with an annual income of R350,000 or less, with preference given to learners from Quintile 1 to 3 schools.

The final selection followed an assessment process that included home visits, interviews and background evaluations.

The department said academic performance was not the only consideration, with candidates also assessed on their commitment to serving their communities and improving healthcare outcomes in South Africa.

The successful candidates will undertake medical studies in Cuba before returning to South Africa for clinical integration at local universities.

They are expected to join the public healthcare system and contribute to improving access to healthcare, particularly in underserved communities where shortages of medical professionals remain a challenge.

The NMFC programme was established through an agreement between former South African president Nelson Mandela and former Cuban president Fidel Castro to help address the shortage of doctors in South Africa, particularly in rural, underserved and previously disadvantaged communities.

The Cuban medical training model places strong emphasis on primary healthcare, disease prevention and health promotion, which the department said aligns with South Africa’s healthcare priorities.

The Gauteng Department of Health said the programme was helping build a pipeline of medical professionals to strengthen primary healthcare and improve service delivery.

To date, 463 Gauteng students have graduated through the programme and are employed at public healthcare facilities across the province.

The department said the graduates were contributing to patient care and service delivery, while the latest cohort would continue the programme’s focus on addressing socio-economic barriers to medical education and the unequal distribution of healthcare professionals.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post 18 aspiring doctors selected for Gauteng’s Cuba medical programme appeared first on Inside Education..

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) in North West has called for urgent action to address learner indiscipline and improve educator safety following an incident in which a learner allegedly insulted and verbally abused a teacher at Batlapaneng Secondary School in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has renewed concerns about what the union described as escalating learner indiscipline, including verbal abuse, threats, intimidation and physical attacks against educators.

SADTU North West said it was deeply concerned by the incident and warned that teachers could not be expected to work effectively in environments where their safety and dignity were compromised.

“An educator cannot be expected to perform their professional responsibilities effectively while being subjected to threats, insults, intimidation or violence,” the union said.

It said educator safety was a fundamental condition for quality teaching and learning and called for decisive action against serious learner misconduct.

“Violence against educators must never be normalised or treated as merely a disciplinary matter,” SADTU said, adding that law enforcement should be involved where conduct amounted to a criminal offence.

The union called on the North West Department of Education and the provincial education MEC to strengthen school safety and learner-discipline measures, including the implementation of clear consequences for serious misconduct.

It also called for immediate intervention when educators are threatened, intimidated or physically attacked, as well as greater support for principals and School Governing Bodies dealing with serious disciplinary cases.

SADTU said schools, parents, the department, the South African Police Service and other stakeholders needed to work more closely to address safety and discipline challenges.

It further called for appropriate psychosocial and professional support for educators who experience violence or trauma in the workplace.

The union wants the department to regularly monitor schools where serious disciplinary and safety problems have been identified.

It also raised concerns about parental responsibility, saying parents and guardians should support reasonable disciplinary measures and should not threaten or intimidate educators.

SADTU called for a comprehensive review of measures to prevent weapons, drugs and other dangerous substances from entering school premises.

The union stressed, however, that stronger discipline should not come at the expense of learners’ rights.

“SADTU does not advocate for the violation of learners’ rights. Learners have rights, but rights come with responsibilities,” it said.

“The protection of learners cannot be interpreted in a manner that leaves educators exposed to abuse, intimidation or violence.”

The union said a balanced approach was needed to protect learners, educators, principals and support staff.

SADTU also linked learner indiscipline to broader challenges in the education system, including overcrowding, social problems, substance abuse, inadequate psychosocial services and mounting pressure on educators.

It said these challenges could not be addressed by teachers alone and required a broader societal response.

Parents, it said, had an important role in reinforcing respect, responsibility and acceptable behaviour among learners.

At the same time, SADTU said educators must uphold professional standards and exercise their authority responsibly.

The union said it remained committed to protecting educators while advocating for a public education system that was safe, disciplined and conducive to teaching and learning.

“Teaching cannot be an attractive and respected profession when educators are expected to work in unsafe environments,” SADTU said.

“An attack on an educator is not only an attack on an individual, it is an attack on the teaching profession and the right of every learner to quality education.”

SADTU North West called on the provincial Department of Education to move beyond statements of concern and implement concrete measures to address learner indiscipline and school safety.

“The time has come to move beyond statements of concern towards concrete interventions that restore discipline, protect educators and reclaim schools as safe spaces for teaching and learning,” the union said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post SADTU demands urgent action over alleged learner abuse of North West teacher appeared first on Inside Education..

The University of South Africa (Unisa) has appointed Professor Mpho Ngoepe as its new Vice-Principal for Teaching, Learning, Community Engagement and Student Support.

Ngoepe, a C2-rated researcher by the National Research Foundation (NRF), will take up the position on 1 October following approval of his appointment by the university council.

His appointment was made after the council considered reports and recommendations from the Selection Committee, as well as advice from the Executive Committees of the Senate and Institutional Forum.

Ngoepe has more than 28 years of academic, professional and leadership experience in library and information services, higher education, research, archives and records management, corporate governance and community engagement.

He joined Unisa in August 2012 and has held several senior academic and leadership positions at the university, including Director of the School of Arts, Acting Deputy Executive Dean, Head of the Department of Information Science and Head of the Centre for Applied Information and Communication.

He currently serves as Acting Vice-Principal for Research, Postgraduate Studies, Innovation and Commercialisation.

Unisa said his new portfolio would draw on his experience in academic leadership, research, postgraduate supervision, professional development and knowledge creation.

Ngoepe has published more than 100 journal articles, seven conference proceedings, 11 book chapters and three academic books. His research has focused on archives and records management, digital records, corporate governance, indigenous knowledge and languages, literacy and freedom of information.

His international academic standing was recognised in 2023 when he was included among the top 2% of scientists worldwide for career impact in a ranking by Elsevier and Stanford University based on authors published in Scopus-indexed journals.

Between 2013 and 2018, Ngoepe served as Director of Team Africa for the International Project on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems (InterPARES) Trust, coordinated by the University of British Columbia in Canada.

During that period, the Africa team conducted research on digital records and archival education, including compiling a directory of higher education institutions offering archival studies in 38 African countries.

In 2016, the International Council on Archives appointed Ngoepe to convene a meeting of archival educators from across Africa, contributing to the organisation’s education strategy for the continent.

He has also supervised 28 master’s and 34 doctoral students to completion.

Ngoepe has also contributed to the promotion of African languages and literature. He has published two award-winning anthologies of Northern Sotho short stories, which were recommended for Grade 8 learners by the Limpopo Department of Education. He also authored a biography of 2012 Comrades Marathon champion Ludwick Mamabolo.

His professional leadership has included roles in the South African Society of Archivists, the Eastern and Southern African Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives, the National Archives Advisory Council, the Gauteng Provincial Archives Advisory Council and the Archival Education Research Institute.

He has received several awards, including the IVAISLIP/SABINET Information Officer of the Year Award in 2004, recognition from the South African Human Rights Commission and Open Democracy Advice Centre in 2007 for his work in implementing the Promotion of Access to Information Act, the Unisa Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence in Research in 2020 and the South African Society of Archivists Lifetime Achiever Award in 2022.

Unisa principal and vice-chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula said Ngoepe’s experience would be important as the university pursued its strategic priorities.

“Unisa wishes Professor Ngoepe every success in this important new role, which carries the significant responsibility of accelerating the pace of cultivating the Catalytic Niche Areas,” LenkaBula said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Unisa appoints Professor Mpho Ngoepe as new vice-principal appeared first on Inside Education..

Nearly 10,000 university-owned residence beds are unavailable because renovations remain outstanding, as South Africa struggles to provide enough affordable accommodation for students.

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela said preliminary departmental information showed 9,907 university-owned beds were currently unavailable.

Speaking at Parliament’s student accommodation colloquium in Cape Town, Manamela said the shortage of beds was compounded by slow infrastructure delivery, maintenance backlogs and weaknesses in the system used to place and fund students.

“A bursary without a bed is access on paper. A bed without safety is shelter without dignity. And an accommodation system without accountability can become a subsidy for failure, exploitation and corruption,” Manamela said.

A Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) survey conducted in March found that TVET colleges had only 9,968 institution-owned beds, while 39% of the residences that responded were assessed as being in poor condition.

“A bed under construction is not yet a bed for a student. A bed standing empty because a bathroom, roof, bulk connection or procurement process has failed is also not a bed for a student,” Manamela said.

He said infrastructure projects were being delayed during feasibility studies, procurement, contracting and construction, as well as by problems connecting developments to bulk municipal services.

Maintenance was also being deferred until entire residence blocks became unusable.

“The problem is not only that we need more money. We also need better planning, stronger project-management capability and consequences for persistent non-delivery,” Manamela said.

Manamela said he has demanded a project-by-project recovery plan for the 9,907 unavailable beds, detailing the institution responsible, the bottleneck affecting the project, a revised completion date and what intervention is required.

The plan must also be considered alongside the government’s funded construction pipeline.

DHET and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) have also been given 60 days to produce a reconciled national picture of student accommodation.

The assessment must identify available, occupied, empty, unserviceable and planned beds, as well as accommodation rates, accreditation status and major safety and delivery risks.

Within the same period, DHET and NSFAS must present Manamela with options for a differentiated student accommodation pricing framework for 2027 and proposals for a new model dividing responsibilities between the department, NSFAS, institutions and accommodation providers.

Manamela said the current system had produced problems despite attempts to regulate the student accommodation market.

A single accommodation funding ceiling had helped restrain prices, but could have unintended consequences, particularly because the cost of student housing differs significantly between locations, he said.

In expensive urban areas, the difference between the funding ceiling and actual accommodation costs could be shifted to students or institutional debt, while elsewhere the maximum allowance could effectively become the market price, encouraging providers that previously charged less to increase their rates.

Manamela said a future framework should instead consider factors including location, accommodation grade, room type, utilities, security, internet connectivity, transport and operating costs.

He also raised concerns about fragmented accommodation records.

Universities, NSFAS, accommodation providers and students could hold different information about registrations, placements, occupation dates, leases and payments, creating a risk that legitimate providers were not paid, students faced eviction or public money was spent on empty accommodation.

“Every rand paid for a ghost bed is stolen twice: once from the public purse and once from the student who needed a real bed,” Manamela said.

Manamela said a ministerial review appointed in 2010 and reported in 2011 found universities had 107,598 residence beds, enough for only about one in five full-time contact students at the time.

The estimated shortage was already 195,815 beds, while maintenance, refurbishment and modernisation requirements exceeded R4 billion in 2010 prices.

Government has since expanded student housing through infrastructure grants and the Student Housing Infrastructure Programme.

Manamela said 9,721 beds had been completed under the first phase of that programme by March 2025, with further projects under construction or in preparation.

But he said increasing the number of new beds would have to go hand in hand with recovering existing university accommodation that had fallen out of use.

The TVET residence condition assessment would similarly have to be converted into a funded repair and development programme rather than simply remain a survey, he said.

He said he intended to report back to Parliament before the end of November on the national accommodation baseline, the proposed 2027 model, the accommodation funding cap review and progress in recovering unusable beds.

“Parliament should be able to measure us against decisions, owners and dates – not merely against another statement of intention,” he said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Manamela orders recovery plan for nearly 10,000 unusable university beds appeared first on Inside Education..

South Africa needs about R120 billion for additional classrooms and sanitation facilities to meet current demand in public schools, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) said on Monday, as growing learner numbers and fiscal constraints deepen pressure.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube highlighted the scale of the infrastructure challenge at the launch of the new LEAP 9 Maths and Science School in Kariega, Eastern Cape, where she welcomed Volkswagen South Africa’s investment in the project.

Gwarube described the school as an example of how government and business could work together to expand educational opportunities.

“Government has the primary responsibility for providing quality public education, but the scale of our infrastructure requirements demands that we mobilise every available resource. Responsible private sector partnerships can help us accelerate investment in the environments in which our children learn,” Gwarube said.

The DBE estimates that approximately R120 billion is required for additional classrooms and sanitation facilities to meet current demand across the public education system. Growing learner numbers and a constrained fiscal environment are compounding the challenge.

Gwarube thanked Volkswagen South Africa for its contribution, saying the investment was particularly significant in a province with a major automotive and manufacturing sector.

She said the LEAP 9 Maths and Science School aligns with the department’s Strong Foundations, Strong Futures strategy, which seeks to improve foundational literacy and numeracy while strengthening the pipeline into mathematics, science, technology and other gateway subjects.

“That eight out of 10 children cannot read for meaning by the age of 10 should concern every South African. We must strengthen the foundations of learning if we want young South Africans to succeed in STEM fields and participate meaningfully in our economy,” she said.

Gwarube said Volkswagen’s “Cradle to Career” approach reflected the importance of sustained investment in human capital.

“The learners at LEAP 9 are future engineers, scientists, teachers, entrepreneurs and skilled professionals. Some may one day contribute to the very industries that drive the Eastern Cape economy. Investing in their education is an investment in the province’s future.”

She called on more businesses to partner with government to expand access to quality infrastructure, strengthen mathematics and science education, and expose learners to career opportunities.

“The Eastern Cape has enormous human potential. We must ensure that geography or circumstances of birth never place a ceiling on a young person’s ambition,” she said.

Speaking at the launch, Volkswagen Group Africa Chairperson and Managing Director Martina Biene reflected on the company’s 75-year journey in South Africa and its investment in communities around its Kariega operations.

Biene described Volkswagen as deeply rooted in the communities where it operates, saying the company sought to respond to community needs and invest in empowering people.

She highlighted LEAP 9 as another example of Volkswagen’s commitment to education and expanding opportunities for young people in KwaNobuhle.

The LEAP 9 project has transformed the former Mlungisi Perfector School into a Maths and Science primary and high school in KwaNobuhle.

“We put our money where our mouth is, but also our hands and our hearts,” Biene said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post R120bn needed for classrooms, sanitation as learner numbers grow appeared first on Inside Education..

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Yusuf Cassim has called for a practical student safety compact that sets clear responsibilities and measurable commitments across institutions, municipalities, law enforcement and accommodation providers.

Addressing the National Student Safety, Security and Well-Being Summit 2026 at the University of the Western Cape on Friday, Cassim said student safety was not simply a policy issue but a human obligation.

“When a parent sends a child to university, they are entrusting us with their son or daughter. That trust comes with a responsibility. Not simply to have policies,” Cassim said.

“Not simply to hold meetings. Not simply to receive reports. Our responsibility is to make sure they are safe. And when a system is not working, our responsibility is not to defend it. It is to change it.”

He said that no parent should be afraid to send their daughter or son to university because they fear that they may not return home safely.

He said just days ago, Cape Town once again walked in remembrance of Uyinene Mrwetyana.

He added that nearly seven years after the 19-year-old UCT student was raped and murdered in Claremont, the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation and UCT retraced the route she once travelled between Roscommon House, where she lived as a student, and the university where she was pursuing her education.

“Think about that for a moment. A young woman left her residence as a student pursuing an education and a future. The route between where she lived and the world she was trying to enter became a route of tragedy,” he said.

He said remembrance could not be the destination and questioned whether anything had changed since Uyinene’s death.

He said if Uyinene’s name has taught South Africans anything, it is that we cannot measure student safety only by what happens inside the university gate.

“The campus gate cannot become the boundary of our responsibility,” he said.

“A student does not stop being a student when they leave the campus gate.”

He added that students remain students when they walk to their residences, wait for taxis, walk to shops, cross municipal roads, enter private residences and return home at night.

Cassim said responsibility for student safety could not simply rest with universities and had to extend more broadly.

“The responsibility is much broader,” he said.

“Student safety is a shared responsibility, requiring universities, municipalities, law enforcement, accommodation providers, transport operators and students themselves to work together.”

According to the latest SAPS crime statistics for January to March 2026, he said 5,181 people were murdered nationally, an average of 58 lives lost every day.

He said the Western Cape recorded a murder ratio of 12.8 per 100,000 people, the second-highest provincial risk in the country.

“These may not be student-specific figures and we should not pretend that they are. But they tell us something important about the environment in which our students live, travel and study,” he said.

“These numbers tell us something uncomfortable: the environment in which our students live is not safe enough.”

He said that Cape Town is an example of what is possible when people, technology, intelligence and partnerships are brought together.

He said the City’s approach includes drones and other “eye-in-the-sky” capabilities, CCTV, automated licence-plate recognition, body-worn cameras, gunshot-detection technology, canine units and digitally enabled policing.

“But let me be clear: this summit is not about celebrating one city’s model. It is about asking what works,” he said.

“But where systems are failing students, we must be equally prepared to say so.”

“We cannot become more committed to protecting systems than protecting students.”

He said that the measure of success cannot be how many cameras are installed, how many policies are written, or how many meetings are held, but whether the student is safer.

“Technology alone, however, will never be enough. We need eyes in the sky, but also eyes on the ground,” he said.

“We need technology that identifies risk, people who can respond to that risk, and systems that ensure the response actually reaches the student.”

He said accommodation must be viewed not simply as a funding or housing issue, but as an essential component of the student’s educational experience and wellbeing.

“Where private landlords and accommodation agents participate in student housing, they must recognise that they are not simply providing a commercial service,” he said.

“They are providing the environment in which young people live and study, and they must uphold the applicable safety and accommodation standards.”

He said that student accommodation must be structurally sound, have appropriate access control, secure doors and windows, adequate lighting, meet fire-safety requirements and have safe electrical and gas installations.

He also said emergency procedures must exist, common areas must be maintained, students must know who to contact in an emergency, and safety concerns raised by students must be taken seriously and acted upon.

“These are not luxury standards or unreasonable expectations. They are part of what it means to provide a safe environment in which a student can live and learn,” he said.

In memory of Uyinene, he said it would be easy to commemorate her once a year, lay flowers, hold a walk, make speeches and then return to business as usual.

However, he said, the purpose of remembrance must ultimately be action.

“So today I want to propose that we begin moving towards a different national conception of student safety,” he said.

“Not a system in which every institution protects only its own piece. But a system in which the pieces connect.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Cassim calls for student safety compact as universities confront risks beyond campus gates appeared first on Inside Education..

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has called on employers in the hospitality and related industries to open their workplaces and to invest in learnerships, saying partnerships with businesses are critical to closing South Africa’s skills and unemployment gap.

Manamela made the call during the 2nd Cohort Learnership Programme Launch of the joint McDonald’s South Africa and Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) Hospitality Learnership Programme on Friday, which has enrolled 2,370 young people in a 12-month programme leading to a National Certificate: Fast Food Services at NQF Level 3.

The programme, which was launched with 1,300 learners in 2024, aims to equip young people with practical skills and workplace experience in the hospitality sector.

Manamela said the success of programmes such as the McDonald’s learnership depended on employers being willing to provide young people with opportunities to gain practical experience.

He said young people should be trained according to the industries in which they are placed, whether hospitality, tourism, engineering or other sectors.

The minister said the model being implemented through the programme was important because it combines classroom learning with workplace exposure.

Under the programme, 30% of the training will take place in the classroom, while 70% will be spent in the workplace, allowing learners to gain hands-on experience and become familiar with real working environments.

Manamela said this approach was essential to addressing the mismatch between the skills young people acquire through education and the skills required by employers.

“The reason why we’re doing this, why we’re driving this, is because of the mismatch that exists between the skills that we have been trained for and the new level of opportunities, but also job preparedness,” he said.

He said that the value of a learnership should not be measured only by whether a learner receives a certificate, but also by whether they leave the programme with practical competence that can be used in the workplace.

“The skills programme is not good enough only based on the certificate. It’s not what CATHSSETA is investing. To pull it through, we will need the learners and the learnership to ensure that they go up to completion,” Manamela said.

He urged companies in the hospitality, tourism and retail sectors to come together with government and training authorities to expand such initiatives.

“The money which we gave to the CEO of CATHSSETA, and the CEO of McDonald’s, to the Chief People Officer, means: how do we get the rest of the people who are in retail, hospitality and so on and so forth around the table to look at how we can expand this at scale?”

The call comes as government seeks to strengthen the role of workplaces in technical and vocational education and training and the broader skills development system.

Manamela said government could not achieve the country’s skills revolution on its own and needed the private sector, trade unions, NGOs and communities to work together.

“We cannot do that alone as government. We cannot do that alone as NGOs, as NPOs,” he said.

“We can only do that if the trade unions are on board and support opening of workplaces and the placement of learners and do not see this level as a threat. We can only do that if workplaces are on board and will continue to open.”

He also highlighted the potential of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, saying government has invested significant resources into developing institutions equipped with workshops and simulated work environments.

According to Manamela, there are now 52 centres of specialisation, with government aiming to expand these facilities and align them with specific skills requirements.

He said this investment needed to be matched by greater involvement from industry.

“The TVET sector is at the heart of our skills revolution. That investment has to be complemented by collective investment which will be done by everyone,” Manamela said.

The McDonald’s-CATHSSETA programme is also intended to provide learners with financial support while they undergo training.

The monthly stipend has increased from R2,500 to R3,500, with McDonald’s providing an additional R500 top-up, while transport support is also being provided to learners.

Manamela urged all 2,370 learners who began the 12-month programme to remain committed until completion.

He acknowledged that learnership programmes can experience dropouts, but said learners should take advantage of the opportunity presented to them.

“I know we have experienced some of these good programmes, where we start with a specific number of students, and then some of them drop out,” he said.

Manamela said completing the programme could place learners in a stronger position when seeking employment, particularly as McDonald’s itself could potentially draw future employees from the programme.

He pointed to other initiatives, including a programme through the Cellphone Repair Skills Programme, where about 326 young people were trained in cellphone and electronic repairs.

Of those, 25 young people were provided with containers to establish businesses in townships, offering repairs for cellphones, laptops and other electronic devices.

Manamela said the programme demonstrated the potential of skills training to move beyond certificates and into entrepreneurship and job creation.

He also highlighted the 20,000-internship initiative launched by Services SETA, describing it as another example of partnerships between government and business to expand opportunities for young people.

He said the scale of these programmes showed that SETA investment was increasingly being directed towards stipends, learnerships, internships and other interventions aligned with government’s skills revolution.

Manamela said the next step was to ensure that the initiatives were expanded across industries.

“This is not just an isolated programme. This is a programme which wants to expand,” he said.

“This is a programme which is resonating with the President’s skills revolution. And this is a programme which requires partnership, which requires employers to open their doors.”

He said the ultimate goal was to build a system where young people could trust that qualifications and training programmes would provide meaningful value and lead to opportunities.

“Little by little, with all of the small partnerships that we have, I believe that we’ll be able to grow this into a system where students believe that the certificates that we get from our TVET college, our university, or from our SETAs, or from any training programme, are worth the effort that is put in. And that’s what we are determined to do,” Manamela said.

Out of 1,400 learners trained on the first cohort, over 400 were permanently absorbed into McDonald’s South Africa, with another 75% now employed full-time elsewhere in the hospitality sector.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Manamela urges employers to open doors as 2,370 youth begin hospitality learnership appeared first on Inside Education..

The Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) wants to explore a graduate programme with McDonald’s South Africa that could provide employment pathways for young people with degrees and diplomas.

CATHSSETA CEO Marks Thibela told Inside Education that the proposed programme could potentially take in graduates with qualifications in hospitality and place them in areas including accounting, finance, human resources and law.

He said the programme could include graduates who already hold degrees and diplomas, including qualifications in hospitality, with participants being placed after completing the programme.

“Those who have degrees and diplomas in hospitality, we put them into a programme, then once they complete it, they get placed,” he said.

“Then they will be placed at the head office of McDonald’s, not necessarily at the outlets. That is the beauty of this programme, and we are so excited about it.”

Thibela said CATHSSETA wanted to replicate the employment-linked model with other employers and had engaged with major players in the fast-food sector, including KFC, Nando’s and Burger King.

He said the intention was to encourage employers to participate in skills programmes while committing to absorbing at least some of the young people who complete their training.

“We want an employer who’s honest, who’s coming in and says if we train these young people, I can absorb them, then we will work with you,” Thibela said.

He said employers could also co-fund initiatives with SETAs to increase the number of young people benefiting from employment-linked training.

The proposal comes as CATHSSETA seeks to shift the focus of skills development programmes from simply counting how many young people have been trained to measuring how many ultimately enter employment.

Thibela said the authority was considering using surplus funds to support graduate internship programmes, but stressed that employers would need to demonstrate a commitment to absorbing young people after training.

“Beyond the numbers, can we really proudly say those people have been employed? If an employer works with us, they must commit to absorbing one or two of them,” he said.

In his address at the 2nd Cohort McDonald’s/CATHSSETA Learnership Programme Launch at McDonald’s South Africa head office in Sandton, Thibela said SETAs had become accustomed over the years to measuring their success through the number of beneficiaries placed in programmes.

He added that training thousands of young people without creating pathways into employment would do little to address South Africa’s unemployment crisis.

“It can’t be just hundreds and thousands of young people that graduate and at the end, zero absorption, because that doesn’t really help the problem of unemployment in this country,” Thibela said.

The proposed graduate programme would build on the existing partnership between CATHSSETA and McDonald’s. Thibela said the second cohort had been expanded to 2,370 learners.

He said CATHSSETA had committed R89 million to the latest programme, compared with R44 million committed in 2024.

Thibela said the increased investment followed lessons learnt from the first cohort, with the authority reviewing factors that contributed to learner attrition.

He identified stipends and the recruitment process among the issues that had been examined.

Thibela said CATHSSETA had also partnered with Harambee to strengthen recruitment and reach young people in rural areas.

“It would be great if out of the 2,300, we talk about 50% plus coming from rural areas and people with disabilities,” he said.

The learnership leads to a National Certificate in Fast Food Services and combines classroom-based education with practical workplace experience.

Thibela also pointed to the wider socioeconomic impact of youth employment, particularly in rural communities.

He said when one young person secures employment, the benefits can extend to family members who depend on that income.

Thibela said CATHSSETA had initially been uncertain whether the programme would progress to a second phase, but the outcomes of the first cohort had demonstrated its potential.

“We never thought we would reach phase two, and here we are,” he said.

“We are going to look for a partner who will help us absorb whatever number of learners that can make a difference. And to us, it is sending a message out there that SETAs are able to work with employers and create sustainable employment. We are not only number crunching,” Thibela said.

McDonald’s chief people officer, Dr Mamello Masia, said the programme provides learners with an opportunity to gain both an accredited qualification and practical experience.

Learners spend about 30% of their time in classrooms and 70% gaining hands-on experience in McDonald’s restaurants, according to Masia.

“The qualification is really going to be halfway through this programme, or rather the journey. It is the workplace experience that completes it, and turns it into a career,” Masia said.

She said the private sector had an important role to play in creating pathways between education and employment, particularly as South Africa continues to face high youth unemployment.

According to the latest Statistics South Africa figures, the country’s official unemployment rate stood at 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, while unemployment among the broader youth population aged 15 to 34 reached 47.4%.

Masia also cited an unemployment rate of 60.9% among young people aged 15 to 24, a figure recorded by Stats SA in the first quarter of 2026.

The latest second-quarter figures showed that 36.4% of the approximately 10.4 million young people aged 15 to 24 were not in employment, education or training, equivalent to about 3.8 million people.

“It is not enough to create opportunities. We must equip young people with skills, experience and support they need to access sustainable employment,” Masia said.

The first cohort of the McDonald’s-CATHSSETA programme has already produced employment outcomes. McDonald’s said in October 2025 that, of the 1,400 learners trained, 476 had been permanently absorbed into the company.

The company also reported that more than 75% of those no longer in the programme were employed full-time in the industry, while 1.5% had moved into self-employment.

For the 2,370 learners entering the current programme, Masia urged them to make full use of the opportunity, emphasising that workplace experience would be critical to turning their qualifications into careers.

“It is important to make the best of it. I always say there is a big eye watching. Just learn right now, money will follow you,” Masia said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post CATHSSETA targets graduate unemployment through proposed McDonald’s programme appeared first on Inside Education..