Cassim calls for rethink of CET colleges as councils begin five-year terms

Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Yusuf Cassim has called for a rethink of how Community Education and Training (CET) colleges operate, with technology, online learning and community-based learning hubs among the areas identified for exploration.

Addressing newly appointed external members of CET college councils at an induction workshop on Monday, 21 September, Cassim said the sector needed to reconsider its teaching models, infrastructure and organisational structures to improve access to education and skills development.

The two-day workshop, held on 21 and 22 September 2026, comes as the new councils begin their five-year terms, which took effect on 1 September.

Cassim said the appointments followed a rigorous process involving nominations, assessment, selection and vetting.

He told council members their appointment was “not the culmination of the process; it is the beginning of the responsibility to turn the confidence placed in you into meaningful results”.

CET colleges urged to embrace new learning models

Cassim said CET colleges serve adults and out-of-school youth who need opportunities to learn, develop skills and participate in the economy, adding that the sector cannot be treated as peripheral to post-school education.

The Department of Higher Education and Training’s current planning includes developing an ideal CET college or Community Learning Centre (CLC) model, which Cassim identified as a workstream in the department’s Annual Performance Plan for the year ahead.

He challenged the sector to consider whether traditional classroom-based teaching remained the most suitable approach for all learners.

“What should the ideal CET classroom look like?” he asked.

Cassim said the department should explore whether certain modules could be delivered online and whether quality teaching content could be developed centrally and made available to students across the country.

He said technology could extend the reach of skilled educators without replacing them, while tutors closer to students could provide guidance and support.

“This is not about replacing the educator. It is about extending the reach of good teaching and giving our educators better tools to support learners,” he said.

Cassim also highlighted the need to accommodate South Africa’s linguistic diversity by combining digital teaching content with support in local languages.

Learning hubs could bring education closer to communities

The deputy minister said existing buildings, learning sites and information and communications technology (ICT) laboratories could support a more flexible approach to education.

The department’s planning already includes internet and Wi-Fi connectivity across CET sites as an active performance area.

Cassim said properly equipped local learning centres could reduce the need for students in rural and underserved communities to travel long distances to access educational opportunities.

He also called for partnerships with the private sector, communities and other stakeholders to expand skills opportunities.

“Government does not have to do everything alone, but government must provide the leadership, framework and accountability to ensure that these partnerships serve a clear public purpose,” he said.

Using Germany’s vocational education system as an example, Cassim highlighted how learning can take place through a combination of vocational schools, companies and intercompany training centres.

He said South Africa should not simply copy the German model, but consider how partnerships and existing infrastructure could expand access to practical learning.

Council members tasked with strengthening governance

Cassim said any changes to teaching and learning would also require the department to reconsider how it organised the CET workforce.

He stressed that the sector’s transformation should follow a phased, evidence-based approach, with the department identifying what could be implemented immediately, what required piloting and what could be expanded once evidence showed it worked.

He said the objective was not simply to reduce costs, but to ensure resources supported improved teaching, infrastructure and access to education.

Cassim reminded council members that they were responsible for overseeing public assets and money, and urged them to take their fiduciary responsibilities seriously.

These include financial oversight, internal controls, procurement, risk management, institutional performance and protecting institutional assets.

“Public trust is not something a Council inherits. It is something a Council must earn and protect,” he said.

He also urged council members to familiarise themselves with their institutions, including their students, staff, programmes, finances, infrastructure and risks.

A strong council, Cassim said, should exercise proper oversight without interfering in daily operations, identify risks before they become crises and insist on corrective action where necessary.

He said the ultimate measure of the sector’s transformation should be whether students and communities benefited from improved access to meaningful education and skills development.

Cassim urged the new councils to use their five-year terms to build institutions that are better governed, more responsive to communities, and better equipped to deliver quality education and training.

“The objective is to use technology, infrastructure, people and partnerships to improve the quality, reach and relevance of education and training,” he said.