All 265 Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges across the country will shut down from Thursday owing to protracted unresolved issues with the Department of Higher Education.
The mass shutdown by students is expected to cripple learning activities at all the campuses of the 50 registered colleges in the country, the SA Further Education and Training Student Association declared on Tuesday.
In Pretoria, the likes of the Tshwane South and North colleges, which had been prone to strikes in the past, will be affected .Other girls relied on “blessers” to raise money as a result of late National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) payments.The decision to close down the colleges will be a major blow to Minister Blade Nzimande, who has been encouraging students to study in these colleges.
Other burning issues included insufficient NSFAS funding and the delay of accommodation and transport allowances. Vusela TVET college in the North West has followed suit by orchestrating a shut down doors due to NSFAS bursary issues.
