Students queue in order to register at TVET College
Some of the returning and prospective students told Barberton Times that they started to queue as early as around 22:00 on Sunday to be able to be the first on the line when the school gates open on Monday at 08:00.
Hundreds of desperate students stood in a snaking queue for hours in a bid to get admission to Ehlanzeni Technical Vocational Education and Training, Barberton campus.
On Monday a queue with hundreds of hopeful students had formed around the local campus in General Street, near the stationed locomotive train by the Barberton Chalets and Caravan Park.
Some of the returning and prospective students told Barberton Times that they started to queue as early as around 22:00 on Sunday to be able to be the first on the line when the school gates open on Monday at 08:00.
Others, especially returning students who were there to collect their results, voiced their concern after they were made to wait for hours before they could set foot inside the premises.
Adnecia Shabangu (18) and Petronela Khoza (19), who completed their matric at Rindzani High School in Mandraas in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality, said they spent the whole night camping outside.
“We arrived here last night at around 22:00. Though the campus provided some of us places to sleep last night, we decided to come and camp here so we can be the first to be in the line,” said the two.
Both Shabangu and Khoza said they want to study electrical engineering. They said the local campus was their only hope to further their studies. “If this campus is full, we will have to go to another one,” said Khoza.
Others who were there to register for the first time, were Zanele Mkhatshwa (19) and Nonkhululeko Makamo (19), who both completed their matric at Sincobile Senior Secondary in the Nkomazi Local Municipality.
Mkhatshwa wanted to secure a space to study towards financial accounting while Makamo want to enroll for a public management course. These two said they arrived around 06:00.
“If I don’t secure a space here (Barberton Campus) I will go to try at Mlumati TVET, but my option has always been Barberton because it is easily accessible with transport from home and I’ve got relatives in the area,” said Makamo.
Mxolisi Ndzimande, TVET spokesman encouraged learners to do pre-registration to avoid such long queues.
“Our pre-registrations are opened yearly between September to December. We encourage our prospective students to use that opportunity to avoid late disappointment,” said Ndzimande.
He said the registration period is expected to run until this coming Friday.
