One in every three people part of South Africa’s working population is unemployed, this as the official unemployment rate hovered around the 34% mark during the first three months of 2022.
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Education Blade Nzimande has announced that his department will commit R200 million to fund skills programs offered at Community Education Training (CET) colleges.
CET colleges, formally known as Adult Education Centres, cater to youth who want to raise the base for further learning and improve their skills for employability. Qualifications received at CET colleges also serve as progression to opportunities at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and universities.
Nzimande added that his department will also review its five-year enrolment place for CET colleges and develop a sustainable funding model for the sector.
The Minister said, “These range from formal education and training; learnerships and internships as well as support for youth entrepreneurship. Our initiatives provide the necessary support for young people to take on their challenges and succeed.”
“I therefore urge all the students to look out for these opportunities, especially the Workplace-Based Learning opportunities, as presented through our Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) in partnership with the private sector” concluded Nzimande.
While obtaining a tertiary education qualification does not guarantee employment, the percentage of unemployed individuals with tertiary education is significantly lower than individuals without tertiary qualifications.
Of the 7.9 million unemployed individuals in South Africa, 2.8% of unemployed individuals were graduates, while 6.7% had other tertiary qualifications as their highest level of education. The unemployment rate among individuals who listed matric as their highest qualification stood at 40%, while those who had less than matric had an unemployment rate of 50,1%.