More than 100000 students who completed their studies at technical and vocational education training (TVET) colleges are still without their certificates.
Some of them finished their studies eight years ago but they still have nothing to show for it.
In a written reply to parliament recently, Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande said there was a total of 162884 National Certificate Vocational (NCV) outstanding at TVET colleges.
He said part of the problem was data consolidation challenges on the examinations information technology which he said still needed to be resolved by the State Information Technology Agency.
But students affected by this have told Sowetan they were running out of patience.
One student who completed his studies last year said every time he went to the college he was told there was a national backlog and the college could not do anything.
The student, who asked to remain anonymous, said the only thing he walked away from the college with was a statement of results, which was useless when looking for a job.
"No one is going to give you a job without proof. I have been to interviews and when employers want my certificate and I give them the statement they dismiss me. They tell me 'We see that you completed your studies but we can't hire you if you don't have a certificate'," he said.
He is a qualified office administrator but works as a sales assistant at a retail shop, a job he held even when he was a student.
"I take home R650 a month. I feel like I wasted my time at college because I thought I would have a better life after finishing my studies," he said.
Another student, who finished his studies in 2012, told Sowetan he received a certificate but his name was misspelt.
"I took it back and they said they were going to rectify it. But I'm still waiting. Every time I go to enquire they always tell me that they are still printing certificates," he said.
Nzimande has been advocating for students to opt for colleges instead of studying at universities. He has vowed to turn colleges into "institutions of choice".
Departmental spokesman Khaye Nkwanyana said the backlog was giving Nzimande a headache.
"It is denting the image of colleges. We can't say we want to elevate colleges without cleaning our house," he said.
Nkwanyana said Nzimande had instructed the newly appointed deputy director general responsible for colleges, Dr Bongani Mahlobo, to prioritise the backlog.
Meanwhile, there are also 34247 Skills Education Training Authorities (SETAs) certificates that are outstanding.
"The department has committed to clear the backlog ranging between three to nine months. The reasons for the backlog are mainly attributed to inadequate capacity at the State Information Technology Agency and the challenges experienced on the examinations IT system due to this," he said.
Nzimande blamed the backlog on inadequate management information systems at SETAs.
macupeb@sowetan.co.za
Long wait for certificates
More than 100000 students who completed their studies at technical and vocational education training (TVET) colleges are still without their certificates.
Some of them finished their studies eight years ago but they still have nothing to show for it.
In a written reply to parliament recently, Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande said there was a total of 162884 National Certificate Vocational (NCV) outstanding at TVET colleges.
He said part of the problem was data consolidation challenges on the examinations information technology which he said still needed to be resolved by the State Information Technology Agency.
But students affected by this have told Sowetan they were running out of patience.
One student who completed his studies last year said every time he went to the college he was told there was a national backlog and the college could not do anything.
The student, who asked to remain anonymous, said the only thing he walked away from the college with was a statement of results, which was useless when looking for a job.
"No one is going to give you a job without proof. I have been to interviews and when employers want my certificate and I give them the statement they dismiss me. They tell me 'We see that you completed your studies but we can't hire you if you don't have a certificate'," he said.
He is a qualified office administrator but works as a sales assistant at a retail shop, a job he held even when he was a student.
"I take home R650 a month. I feel like I wasted my time at college because I thought I would have a better life after finishing my studies," he said.
Another student, who finished his studies in 2012, told Sowetan he received a certificate but his name was misspelt.
"I took it back and they said they were going to rectify it. But I'm still waiting. Every time I go to enquire they always tell me that they are still printing certificates," he said.
Nzimande has been advocating for students to opt for colleges instead of studying at universities. He has vowed to turn colleges into "institutions of choice".
Departmental spokesman Khaye Nkwanyana said the backlog was giving Nzimande a headache.
"It is denting the image of colleges. We can't say we want to elevate colleges without cleaning our house," he said.
Nkwanyana said Nzimande had instructed the newly appointed deputy director general responsible for colleges, Dr Bongani Mahlobo, to prioritise the backlog.
Meanwhile, there are also 34247 Skills Education Training Authorities (SETAs) certificates that are outstanding.
"The department has committed to clear the backlog ranging between three to nine months. The reasons for the backlog are mainly attributed to inadequate capacity at the State Information Technology Agency and the challenges experienced on the examinations IT system due to this," he said.
Nzimande blamed the backlog on inadequate management information systems at SETAs.
macupeb@sowetan.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos