Education

• A new exam centre will improve the administration of matric exams.

Mpumalanga has set its sights on establishing a university in the province. A good university and associated research facilities that could target economic sectors in need of innovation or support, would bring definite economic benefits to the province.

The main campus of the university is planned for Nelspruit, linked to the envisaged teaching hospital. Faculties such as engineering, science and agriculture are to be situated at campuses in other centres. The education faculty is likely to be at KwaMhlanga College. Unisa, the Tshwane University of Technology and the Vaal University of Technology currently have satellite campuses in the province and there are a number of FET colleges.

The priorities of the Mpumalana Department of Education are to expand early childhood development programmes, to promote skills development, especially through further education and training (FET) colleges and to continue to invest in school infrastructure.

The FET colleges are allocated R285-million in the provincial budget of 2010/11 while a grant of R5.8-million was made available to recapitalise the province’s technical secondary schools. The total budget for the Department of Education in 2010/11 is R11.5-billion.

Unfortunately, the provincial premier had to report a reduction in the overall matric pass rate in 2009, to 47%. He called for ‘extraordinary measures to turn around the situation for the better’.

Among the initiatives being undertaken are the establishment of a brand-new Examination Centre, ensuring that all school principals attend courses on management and the introduction of Saturday and winter classes for schools that scored below 50%.

Just over 36 000 students are enrolled at the province’s three FET colleges: Gert Sibande (five campuses), Ehlanzeni, which has seven campuses including the headquarters in Nelspruit, and Nkangala. The Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust is a Section 21 company very active in skills training.

The Adult Basic Education and Training (Abet) programme has been central to reducing unemployment figures in Mpumalanga, as well as reducing the effect of poverty on rural communities. There are 332 public adult learning centres catering to approximately 25 000 adult students.

Online resources
Association for the Development of Education in Africa: www.adeanet.org
Ehlanzeni FET College: www.ehlanzenifet.co.za
Gert Sibande FET College: www.gscollege.co.za
Mpumalanga Department of Education: www.mpumalanga.gov.za/education
Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust: www.rttrust.co.za
National Department of Basic Education: www.education.gov.za















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