Nzimande outlines options for matriculants

12 January 2017 - 18:45 By Jan-Jan Joubert
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Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande briefs members of the media on his recommendations for the 2017 fees adjustments for universities and TVET colleges. File photo
Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande briefs members of the media on his recommendations for the 2017 fees adjustments for universities and TVET colleges. File photo
Image: GCIS

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 the 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 Students' Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been extended‚ and a probe into fraud within the scheme has been finalised. Findings will be announced soon‚ said director-general of higher education Gwebs Qonde.

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‚ said Nzimande.

-TMG Digital/Sunday Times

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