Over 400 stakeholders in the Further Education and Training (FET) College sector will gather this week for decisive discussions on the future of this crucial component of the post-school education and training landscape. The FET college subsystem is poised, in its new location in the post-school education and training system, to be a significant locus of delivery of vocational and continuing education and training, with strong links to industry in order to meet critical skills shortages.
The FET Summit, to be attended by among others college principals, college councils, labour, business, teacher unions, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), development agencies and provincial departments, is aimed at repositioning of the sector and building the confidence of industry and of the public in the capacity of FET colleges.
In April, a FET Roundtable brought together all key role-players and stakeholders in the college subsystem to engage in a rigorous debate informed by an analysis of the challenges facing the colleges. A high-level steering committee, established at the roundtable and chaired by Higher Education and Training Director-General Professor Mary Metcalfe, was appointed at the round table and will present its recommendations to the summit for discussion. These recommendations were developed by intensive work of task teams and aim to stabilise the FET college subsystem and build a platform for its long-term development.
Higher Education and Training Minister Dr Blade Nzimande, who will open the summit on Friday morning, will use the outcomes of the discussions to set the agenda for the college system for the 2011 academic year and beyond.
Professor Metcalfe said intensive work will follow the summit in the provinces and in colleges to implement the outcomes. “The Department of Higher Education and Training is committed to providing support to the colleges to enable them to become institutions of choice for staff and students alike, and a vital resource for social and economic development,” Professor Metcalfe said.
All media are invited to attend.
Details of the summit:
Date: 3 and 4 September
Venue: Birchwood Hotel; East Rand
FET Summit Programme
Day One: Friday 3September
| Session | Time | Item | Persons responsible |
| 1. | 9h00 | Registration | |
| 2. | 10h00 | Welcome | ETDPSETA CEO |
| 3. | 10h10 | Keynote address | Minister Nzimande |
| 4. | 10h45 | Messages from key constituencies | National Office Bearers |
| 5. | 11h25 | Break | |
| 6. | 11h55 | Presentation: Integrated Report of Steering Committee | Chair: Steering Committee |
| 7. | 13h30 | Lunch | |
| 8. | 14h30 | Questions for clarification | Chair Steering Committee and Task Team leaders |
| 9. | 14h45 | HESA presentation | Prof Duma Malaza |
| 10. | 15h00 | Working Groups | |
| 11. | 16h00 | Break | |
| 12. | 16h30 | Working Groups continue | |
| 13. | 18h00 | End of day | |
| 14. | 18h00 | Cocktail function | |
Day two: Friday 4September
| Session | Time | Item | Persons responsible |
| 15. | 08h30 | Presentation of consolidated feedback from Working Groups | |
| 16. | 9h15 | Discussion | |
| 17. | 10h30 | Break | |
| 18. | 11h00 | Discussion (plenary): Towards a framework for sustained and intensive support for colleges in the change management process | |
| 19. | 12h00 | Presentation of the way forward | Steering Committee |
| 20. | 12h45 | Minister’s closing remarks | Minister Nzimande |
Enquiries:
Ranjeni Munusamy
Tel: 012-3125555 or 021-4655513
Cell: 0725712812
E-mail: munusamy.r@dhet.gov.za
