Nzimande outlines options for matriculants
[caption id="attachment_167062" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Minister Blade Nzimande
File picture: Alon Skuy[/caption]
Matriculants have many ways of studying further if they know what steps to take‚ Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande has advised.
Nzimande said the country’s 26 public universities will provide access to about 197 400 new entrants this year.
These include South Africa’s three most recently added universities‚ namely the Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley‚ the University of Mpumalanga in Nelspruit and the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University outside Pretoria.
Nzimande emphasised that government was focusing on providing scarce skills‚ including in the engineering sciences‚ animal and human health sciences‚ natural and physical sciences‚ and teacher education.
Hence‚ more than 60 000 of the available university places will be earmarked for those areas of study.
He strongly advised students to also apply for vocational training at TVET colleges‚ noting that three new campuses at Thabazimbi‚ Nkandla and in deep rural Zululand will open their doors this year.
In total‚ 207 510 new entrant places will be available at TVET colleges.
Nzimande pointed out that to be accepted into an artisan training programme‚ matriculants must have obtained more than 50% for mathematics‚ and have passed physical science.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been extended‚ and the enquiry into fraud within the scheme has been finalised. Findings will be announced soon‚ director-general of higher education Gwebs Qonde announced.
Government will pay the fee increases for all students from households with an annual income below R600 000.
Furthermore‚ all NSFAS-qualifying students who passed at least half of their subjects at tertiary level last year will be allowed to register this year‚ even if they have accumulated historical debt‚ Nzimande said.
- Matriculants who want to become artisans (such as motor car mechanics‚ welders‚ plumbers‚ electricians or hairdressers) can register at the National Artisan Development Support Centre (NADSC) by calling 086 999 0125 or go to the website http://nadsc.dhet.gov.za or e-mail to nadscinfo@dhet.gov.za.
Matriculants whose results allow further study but who did not register in time at tertiary institutions and want to be placed can call the toll free number 0800 356 635 or send an SMS with their name‚ ID and contact number to 49200 and they will be called back. They can also access the system through the website http://cach.dhet.gov.za or send an e-mail to CACH@dhet.gov.za
- TMG Digital/Parliament
