Further Education and Training (FET) covers Grades 10 to 12 in schools and equivalent levels in FET colleges (previously called technical colleges), namely NQF levels 2 to 4 and National Technical Certificates 1 to 3.

In 2002 existing technical colleges were merged and restructured to form 50 FET colleges nationwide. Each college has several campuses. These colleges aim to provide:

• high-level skills training
• theoretical and practical skills linked to specific industry requirements
• vocational training

Expanding and improving capacity at FET colleges is a vital part of government’s growth strategy. Government has set the target to expand the number of young people studying vocational subjects. The 2010/11 budget for FET colleges of R12 billion over three years, has been shifted from provinces to the national department. A further R1,3 billion was allocated to improve the salaries of FET college educators.

Bursaries are offered to students who cannot afford to pay fees. According to the National Skills Development Strategy III (NSDS3), the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET’s) FET and Economic Growth Policy is:

“All students who qualify in terms of the poverty ‘means’ evaluation for financial assistance to gain access to public FET colleges must be enrolled for any Nated and NCV programme of their choice.”

Minister Blade Nzimande and the DHET’s vision for colleges is that they become multi-purpose centres, that they operate 7 days a week for much later hours, that they should not operate alongside schools as they currently do and that they should rival and surpass universities in terms of student numbers.