Members of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training have been approached to intervene and help find solutions to the challenges facing several Further Education and Training Colleges around the country.
The management, student leaders and labour unions of more than 15 Further Education and Training Colleges have pleaded with the Committee to help in finding long-lasting solutions to their resource challenges and on-going conflicts which compromise the progress of the culture of learning and teaching in the institutions.
The Committee has raised the concerns about reports and allegations of fraud, corruption, nepotism, racism, conflicts between management and staff, financial mismanagement, delays in allocation of government and NSFAS funding, leaking of exam question papers and inadequate student accommodation in several institutions of higher learning.
These were contained in the reports presented to the Committee at the meetings by the management, student leaders and labour unions of FET colleges in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng during an oversight this week.
While attempting to find solutions, the Committee Chairperson, Adv. Ishmael Malale urged the management of the institutions to disclose their financial positions, including funding from external sources and donors in order for the Committee to better understand and make informed recommendations to relevant authorities to respond to the challenges.
“We urge them all to reveal their full financial positions including funding and sponsors they receive from their partners and external donors, because we can’t always blame the government for lack of funding and late allocation of funds while we don’t know their financial reserves,” said Adv. Malale.
Meanwhile, the Committee has called for transformation, diversity and zero tolerance against universities and colleges that withhold the academic results of students owing the institutions.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Foster Mohale
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 2239
Cell: 072 432 3792
E-mail: fmohale@parliament.gov.za
