News & Media
Nxesi honoured with prestigious accolade
Following the successful hosting of the first International Conference on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ICTVET2024), from 25 to 27 September 2024, Unisa - in partnership with the South African Public Colleges Organisation, (SAPCO), supported by the Education Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA), the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, and other key partners - hosted a gala dinner on 26 September in Stellenbosch, Western Cape.
The dinner celebrated the achievements of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) lecturers who successfully completed their degree programmes at Unisa. This celebration served as a testament to the productive collaboration between the entities involved and the dedication and hard work of the TVET lecturers in pursuing their academic goals.
From left: Prof Sello Mokoena, ICTEVT2024 convenor/chair; Prof Solomon Magano, Acting Vice-Principal: Institutional Development, Unisa; Book of Abstracts award recipient Nombulelo Nxesi, CEO: Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (EDTP SETA); Prof Dipiloane Phutsisi, President of the South African Public Colleges Organisation (SAPCO) and Principal of Motheo TVET College; Matsiababa Motebele, Vice-Principal: Facilities and Operations, Unisa; and Dr Meiya Nthoesane, Unisa Press Director
The event spotlighted Nombulelo Nxesi, CEO of ETDP SETA, who was awarded with the Book of Abstracts – a collection of summarised research papers by TVET college lectures who successfully obtained their master’s degrees from Unisa, funded by ETDP SETA. Additionally, this award celebrated Nxesi’s commitment towards the development of TVET lecturers.
Significance of capacitating TVET lecturers
During the event, Prof Sello Mokoena, ICTEVT project leader, drew attention to the value of building the capacity of TVET college lecturers through such collaborations. In addition, he briefly shared the background which led to this formation of partnerships in support of capacitating and advancing TVET college lecturers, saying: "This project is an idea which started in 2016 as the pilot project at Majuba TVET College in Newcastle. Through team supervision and focused face-to-face research workshops, eleven staff members obtained their master’s degrees in 2018 across Unisa’s disciplines."
Mokoena continued: "Based on the success of this pilot project, ETDP SETA supported Unisa’s proposal that the same project be rolled out to other public TVET colleges in the country. Since 2018, close to a hundred TVET college lecturers obtained their master’s degrees through financial support made available by ETDP SETA. Currently, there are 20 students (TVET colleges lecturers) pursuing PhDs at Unisa who have received financial support from ETDP SETA."
Mokoena further stated that ETDP SETA collaborated with Unisa to pilot the TVET Colleges Master’s Degree Research Project in 2016, adding: "The objective of the project was to contribute to the Medium-Term Strategic Framework’s (MTSF 2014 -2019) goal of '…improving the quality of TVET colleges by ensuring that the number of qualified lecturers with post-graduate degrees is increased…'."
"Since its inception," he continued, "a substantial number of TVET colleges lecturers (almost 100) based in the Free State, the North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, obtained their master’s degrees. The book of abstracts is the testament of this achievement."
The Book of Abstracts of TVET College Lecturers who obtained Masters’ Degree at Unisa, funded by ETDP SETA, by Prof Sello Mokoena, (Unisa), edited by Anna-Joy Motene (ETDP SETA), and Mahlomola Rathelele (Unisa)
Dr Meiya Nthoesane, Director: Unisa Press, said that Unisa will continue to celebrate and recognise women who excel in their workspaces and contribute towards the development of the country. He added: "The accolade, presented on 26 September 2024 to Nxesi, highlights her significant contribution to advancing research and improving lecturers’ qualifications at South African public TVET colleges."
In her acceptance speech, Nxesi thanked everyone who participated in the collaborations, and the TVET lecturers who completed their qualifications, stating: "We look forward to many more collaborations and to contribute meaningfully to the TVET colleges across South Africa, where the promotion of economic growth is guaranteed."
Concluding her message, Nxesi underscored the commitment sworn from the partnerships forged at this conference, explaining that their primary goal is ensuring a legacy of a capable workforce in the TVET space by offering programmes that are relevant and in support of the development and growth of lecturers.
* By Godfrey Madibane, Acting Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement, with extracts from the Book of Abstracts
Publish date: 2024/10/10
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