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31 Aug 2010

Over 400 stakeholders in the Further Education and Training (FET) College sector will gather this week for decisive discussions on the future of this crucial component of the post-school education and training landscape. The FET college subsystem is poised, in its new location in the post-school education and training system, to be a significant locus of delivery of vocational and continuing education and training, with strong links to industry in order to meet critical skills shortages.

The FET Summit, to be attended by among others college principals, college councils, labour, business, teacher unions, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), development agencies and provincial departments, is aimed at repositioning of the sector and building the confidence of industry and of the public in the capacity of FET colleges.

In April, a FET Roundtable brought together all key role-players and stakeholders in the college subsystem to engage in a rigorous debate informed by an analysis of the challenges facing the colleges. A high-level steering committee, established at the roundtable and chaired by Higher Education and Training Director-General Professor Mary Metcalfe, was appointed at the round table and will present its recommendations to the summit for discussion. These recommendations were developed by intensive work of task teams and aim to stabilise the FET college subsystem and build a platform for its long-term development.

Higher Education and Training Minister Dr Blade Nzimande, who will open the summit on Friday morning, will use the outcomes of the discussions to set the agenda for the college system for the 2011 academic year and beyond.

Professor Metcalfe said intensive work will follow the summit in the provinces and in colleges to implement the outcomes. “The Department of Higher Education and Training is committed to providing support to the colleges to enable them to become institutions of choice for staff and students alike, and a vital resource for social and economic development,” Professor Metcalfe said.

All media are invited to attend.

Details of the summit:

Date: 3 and 4 September

Venue: Birchwood Hotel; East Rand

FET Summit Programme

Day One: Friday 3 September

Session

Time

Item

Persons responsible

1.	9h00	Registration
2.	10h00	Welcome	ETDPSETA CEO
3.	10h10	Keynote address	Minister Nzimande
4.	10h45	Messages from key constituencies	National Office Bearers
5.	11h25	Break
6.	11h55	Presentation: Integrated Report of Steering Committee	Chair: Steering Committee
7.	13h30	Lunch
8.	14h30	Questions for clarification	Chair Steering Committee and Task Team leaders
9.	14h45	HESA presentation	Prof Duma Malaza
10.	15h00	Working Groups
11.	16h00	Break
12.	16h30	Working Groups continue
13.	18h00	End of day
14.	18h00	Cocktail function

 Day two: Friday 4 September

Session

Time

Item

Persons responsible

15.	08h30	Presentation of consolidated feedback from Working Groups
16.	9h15	Discussion
17.	10h30	Break
18.	11h00	Discussion (plenary): Towards a framework for sustained and intensive support for colleges in the change management process
19.	12h00	Presentation of the way forward	Steering Committee
20.	12h45	Minister’s closing remarks	Minister Nzimande

Enquiries:

Ranjeni Munusamy

Tel: 012-3125555 or 021-4655513

Cell: 0725712812

E-mail: munusamy.r@dhet.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Higher Education and Training
31 Aug 2010

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