Pandor
5 April 2006
The Minister of Education, Mrs Naledi Pandor, held a series of meetings
yesterday with the councils and management of higher education institutions.
Meetings were held with the newly established Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
University and the University of Limpopo and with the University of Venda.
A number of issues were discussed including matters of transformation,
governance and management roles and responsibilities and technical and
financial support to address institutional developments arising from the
mergers. The Minister was pleased to note the commitment of institutions to
addressing the many transformation challenges that confront our higher
education system in general and the institutions in particular. Each delegation
was led by the respective chair of council.
The institutions outlined measures they are implementing to ensure that our
institutions of higher learning are transformed into stronger, more resilient
institutions that are to offer our students access to high quality academic
programmes and enhanced opportunities for success. Each of the presentations
indicated a commitment to make institutions more responsive to meeting the
human resources and skills development needs of South Africa.
In this regard Minister Pandor was encouraged by plans to specifically
address the needs of rural communities. She also emphasised the need for all
institutions to focus on areas where they have capacity and potential and not
to over stretch their resources.
She was particularly heartened when informed that the student body at Venda
University had recently contributed R1 million of its own funds to assist the
University in acquiring some much needed equipment. It is this kind of
responsible attitude on the part of student structures that the Minister
believes augurs well for the development of our countryâs future generation of
leaders.
The Minister acknowledged the constructive manner in which institutions have
been engaging her Department and expressed the hope that this will come to
characterise the nature of all future engagements between higher education
institutions and the Ministry. She assured the institutions of her ongoing
support and assistance including promoting private sector involvement in the
pursuit of institutional objectives.
Contact:
Tommy Makhode
Tel: (012) 312 5538
Cell: 082 566 0446
E-mail: makhode.t@doe.gov.za
Issued by: Ministry for Education
5 April 2006
