The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation conducted oversight visits at several higher learning institutions in South Africa. The committee undertook these oversight visits to assess the state of readiness of several institutions with key emphasis placed on learning, teaching and student safety.
Several institutions were visited during the committee's oversight visits. This includes universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and Community Education and Training (CET) colleges.
Their oversight visit’s Limpopo leg began at Capricorn TVET college. The committee visited one of the college’s campuses and noted concerns about loadshedding and student accommodation facilities.
Portfolio Committee Chairperson Nompendulo Mkhatshwa says the student accommodation facilities at the campus must be addressed as it requires refurbishment.
They explained that they are concerned about the residences as they're not in a good state and require refurbishment. However, these issues stem from the larger issues of funding for student accommodation in South Africa.
Mkhatshwa adds that issues caused by loadshedding must be addressed at a departmental level as loadshedding impacts all institutions of higher education.
They were impressed by the college’s students who were looking at possible solutions to mitigate the impact of loadshedding that affects the institution which included using electricity in a sustainable manned and integration of solar energy. They also lauded the hospitality workshop at the college as well as the mechatronics workshop.
Mkhatshwa says the higher education sector requires expansion in the form of increasing the number of institutions available to students. This includes building new universities and expanding the infrastructure of existing universities and colleges.
“There definitely is a need for us to expand access infrastructurally, we need to build more universities and so those two universities that this government has committed to in Gauteng is something that's on the radar of the committee,” explained the chairperson.
The committee is also monitoring safety at institutions of higher learning.
They noted that several Student Representative Councils (SRC) are taking initiative to improve safety and security on campuses around the country. More work needs to be done in society in general concerning safety, as instituions are a microsim of the communities they are located in.
