Students shut down 15 colleges over unresolved issues

Protesting students shut down about 15 of the 50 public technical and vocational education and training colleges earlier this month as a result of a host of unresolved issues with the department of higher education and training, writes Prega Govender for the Mail & Guardian.

Among the technical and vocational education and training, or TVET, colleges that were forced to close are the Tshwane North and Tshwane South colleges. Yonke Twani, president of the South African Further Education and Training Student Association or SAFETSA, confirmed that more colleges would be shutting down in the days to follow.

Issues that SAFETSA wants the department to address urgently include: the question of unqualified lecturers; inadequate funding for students from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme; late payment of allowances for accommodation and transport; and the lengthy delay in the issuing of certificates for courses completed.
Full report on the Mail & Guardian site