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Special B.Ed. graduation celebration: Unisa - South Cape TVET College

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From left to right: Ms Siza Magubane of Unisa, Ms Colleen Snyders (SCC Assistant Director: Curriculum Implementation); Dr Florus Prinsloo, Member of SCC College Council); Dr Shahieda Jansen of Unisa; Carmen Philips-Moorcroft (SCC Acting Deputy Principal: Registration Services); Prof Francina Mahlo of Unisa; Mr Brian Madalane (DHET; Acting Regional Manager for TVET Colleges: Northern and Western Cape Region); Prof Nkidi Phatudi of Unisa; Ms Nicole Kearns (Top Performing graduate – 79%); Mr Charlton Bowkers (Top performing Graduate – 83.3%); Ms Elizabeth-Ann Appels (Top Performing graduate –79%); Dr Tercia Terblanche (SCC Principal); Ms Zerandé Muller (SCC Higher Education Coordinator); Prof Stanley Madonsela of Unisa and Programme Director for the day.

Unisa, in collaboration with the South Cape TVET College (SCC), hosted a special graduation celebration following the success of SCC’s first cohort of qualifying B.Ed. Foundation Phase students. The event took place on Saturday 14 May 2022 in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape Province.

The special joint graduation celebration was the first of its kind and the first time a TVET College had collaborated with Unisa, to host such an occasion. This milestone was reached after only five years of collaboration with Unisa, an exceptional achievement that has certainly set a precedent for other TVET colleges working with Unisa or other universities.

Students from three SCCF campuses (George, Oudtshoorn and Mossel Bay) were chosen to represent their colleagues and to give an account of their student journey as both Unisa-registered students and SCC-enrolled students. The students made moving remarks about their journeys as Unisa students over the past four years during which they had faced challenges such as loss of funding, getting sick and fighting for their lives due to COVID19, as well as having to balance caring for sick family members and their own children and making time to study. Nonetheless, they all pulled through and completed their qualifications. 

Of the 20 students graduating, six received an A+ pass. Of these, three students attained 76%, two achieved 79%, and the top student ended with a mark of 83% and took home a trophy from SCC. Other students also did very well, with many receiving A’s, B’s and a few receiving C’s. Of the 20 14 are now employed and SCC has undertaken to ensure that all the students find employment.

A number of SCC colleagues and Unisa colleagues were present at the ceremony, along with speakers who motivated the students to continue with their studies and wished them well with their careers and future endeavours. Among those present were the Principal of SCC, Prof Tercia Terblanche and SCC representatives, including members of the SCC Council. Prof Nkidi Phatudi told the students to “Go out there and make every child a leader”, while Prof Francina Mahlo, who was representing Unisa Management, told the students that ”When you embark on the next stage of your life as a Unisa graduate, you will be able to tell a good story about your own life, to spread your wings and fly, dream and make your dreams come true”.

*By Ms Lerato Montsa, Administrative Officer: Internationalisation and Partnerships

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Publish date: 2022/06/08