Higher Education Committee heaps praise at Orbit TVET College

The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education has heaped praise at the Orbit TVET College in Rustenburg, North West. This emerged during the last day of the committee’s oversight visit in the province, to assess readiness for the academic year, and to also ensure that the institutions are adequately prepared to manage the demands of the registration period and the overall needs of students, among other things.The committee described the institution as “a beacon of excellence within the otherwise challenging technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector, epitomising the ideals of what a TVET college should aspire to be.” The committee commended Orbit for its skills development, level of professionalism, implored on it to maintain its high standards and continue its excellent work, adding that this is what a TVET college should aspire to be.Despite this, the committee acknowledged that Orbit isn’t immune to other challenges befalling at other institutions, of staff in acting positions. The Chairperson of the Committee, Tegogo Letsie, said the problem was raised by both labour unions and the Student Representative Council. “We have committed ourselves in this term to have a meeting with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to discuss governance issues, including DHET’s inability to fill vacant posts.Currently, we have deputy principals and senior managers in acting positions, which should have been permanently appointed by the colleges themselves, but this has not been done.