As an education specialist, I am very worried about the practice that tertiary institutions continue to use. Most third-year students who are about to qualify are required to seek experiential training from companies.

As an education specialist, I am very worried about the practice that tertiary institutions continue to use. Most third-year students who are about to qualify are required to seek experiential training from companies.

Some of these students are from rural areas where such opportunities are not accessible. It is also difficult for them to access workplaces in urban areas where they are studying because they are not familiar with the surroundings. This really puts unnecessary pressure and discomfort on the students.

I do not think it is the students' responsibility to engage companies on their own. Tertiary institutions should form partnerships and students should be informed by mid-year where they will be placed for their practicals. In the Eduction Department, schools are compelled to accommodate trainee teachers for their practicals. Why not in other disciplines?

To ameliorate this situation, I suggest that the Eduction Department , the tertiary institutions and the Labour Department should devise mechanisms to legislate experiential training for the unqualified students. This will force companies to accommodate them.

Otherwise the learning institutions should scrap this requirement.

Moqeloa MothopengTshwane