FET pass rate increases from nine to 45 percent

The minister of higher education, Dr. Blade Nzimande, has revealed that the Further Education and Training (FET) colleges’ pass rate has increased from nine percent in 2009 to 45 percent in 2012 after the department’s several interventions.

Delivering his ministry’s budget last week, Nzimande said steady progress is being made to fix the colleges. He outlined several initiatives to improve governance, infrastructure and ultimately the pass rate at these colleges.

“The number of students on student financial aid has increased more than threefold between 2010 and this year from 61 700 to 222 800 students, with funding increasing six-fold from R318-million to R2-billion over the same period,” noted Nzimande.

He explained that FET college students are given a full bursary, while those on financial aid at universities must repay the loans.

Nzimande enthused that the growth in student funding had helped FET college enrolment to increase by 90 percent between 2010 and 2012, from 345 566 to 657 690 students.

“As part of the 2012 FET College Turnaround Strategy to improve governance at the institutions, 48 chartered accountants had been appointed as chief financial officers for FET establishments with the help of the SA Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica),” added Nzimande.

“The department has also recruited 20 human resource (HR) specialists to help FET colleges to set up effective human resource management systems. It has set up a partnership with the Engineering Council of South Africa to improve the FET curriculum and ensure that it is more relevant for employment,” said Nzimande

The minister disclosed that the department was also developing college-based maths and science foundation programmes that will assist students to take up studies in the fields of engineering, science and technology.