Deputy Minister of Higher Education & Training Ms Nomusa Dube-Ncube conducted an oversight visit at uMnambithi TVET College’s Estcourt Campus today (January 21).

The deputy minister’s visit began earlier in the day at the Ezakheni Campus in Ladysmith.

According to the Department of Higher Education & Training, the oversight visit prioritised two campuses – Ezakheni and Estcourt – with the aim of assessing their state of readiness and preparedness for the 2026 academic year.

The oversight process provided the deputy minister with a comprehensive overview of both colleges’ operational status, infrastructure conditions, and service delivery challenges.

During her visit to the Estcourt Campus, Dube-Ncube emphasised the importance of empowering students with entrepreneurial skills and encouraging them to become business owners rather than job seekers. She also raised concerns about the condition and size of the agricultural school garden used by students in the agriculture faculty, stating that it should be significantly larger. The students, however, assured the deputy minister that efforts would be made to expand the garden before her next visit, despite teachers highlighting land scarcity as a major challenge.

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In discussions around the proposed construction of a new campus in Estcourt, Dube-Ncube advised campus management to consider introducing additional faculties. She stressed that, before any expansion, thorough research should be conducted into the local industries operating in Estcourt. This, she said, would ensure that the programmes offered are aligned with industry needs, improving students’ chances of employment after graduation.

Dube-Ncube further emphasised that office-based programmes such as Office Administration should not be prioritised at the new campus. Instead, she called for a stronger focus on skills-based faculties, noting that agriculture remains the only skills-focused programme currently offered at the college.

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