National Youth Development Agency welcomes President Jacob Zuma's response to Heher Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) welcomes His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma’s response to the Heher Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training. This ground breaking decision comes at a time wherein almost a million candidates sat for the matric final examinations with no clear way forward about their future.
The decision by government to extend fully subsidised free higher education to youth from well over 90% of South African households and prioritise infrastructural development at our Universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training will ensure a brighter future for our young people. Free quality education is the single most important enabler to achieve our agenda of creating employment creators as opposed to more job seekers, by use of education, skills development and entrepreneurship.
According to NYDA Chairperson, Sifiso Mtsweni “We are absolved by the decision of the President, as we held a firm view that the Heher Commission had failed live up to the expectations of the student fraternity and that of stakeholders who are interested in free quality education for the poor and the working class”.
The NYDA will continue their partnership with the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to ensure the roll-out of the bursary loan scheme now turned grants. We will introduce a new skills programmes in 2018 to ensure that we respond to amongst others the skills shortages and unemployment amongst youth.
In light of the Fourth (4th) Industrial Revolution, education and skills development are critical to grow our economy. Thus this is the most progressive decision since the advent of democracy ensuring that young people remain key role players in the future of the South Africa” says Mtsweni
For media enquiries contact:
Lerato Gambu
Tel: 011 651 7000
Cell: 064 860 0716
E-mail: Lerato.Gambu@nyda.gov.za
