Memorandum from the Parliamentary Office
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 129
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 19/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER 13 OF 2014)
Mr H B Groenewald (DA-NW) to ask the Minister of Higher Education and
Training:
1) (a) What (i) results and/or (ii) outcomes recorded has his department
noted in respect of the multi-million rand investment by mining companies
into education and skills training and (b) how many students who received
such training are able to find employment in the mining sector at the end
of their training;
2) Whether his department has any plans in place to improve the training;
if not, why not; if so, what (a) plans and (b) are the further relevant
details?
CW203E
REPLY:
1) (a) Mining companies implement their own programmes regarding education
and training in
line with the Mining Charter. The Mining Charter requires mining
companies to set aside a percentage of its total payroll, excluding
the mandatory skills levy, for essential skills development
activities.
The Department of Higher Education and Training also collaborates with
organised labour and mining companies through the Mining
Qualifications Authority (MQA) to continuously improve the level of
education and skills development in the mining sector.
Some of the skills programmes implemented includes the support to 750
students in the form of bursaries for students studying towards
Metallurgy, Geology, Mining, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
degrees; 2 500 learners in artisan programmes; 1 000 unemployed youth
trained in portable and entrepreneurship skills around various mining
communities; 600 students with work experience and a further 400
students placed in mining companies to complete their qualifications
at Universities of Technology.
The outcome of these interventions ensures that recipients of these
skills programmes are in a better position to access employment
opportunities available in the mining sector.
(b) The MQA has established a Monitoring and Evaluation Unit that will
partner with other
organs of state to trace the beneficiaries of training in the mining
sector.
2) (a) The MQA through its Education and Training Quality Assurance, and
Monitoring and
Evaluation Units is continually reviewing the effectiveness of
training provided and in instances where improvements are needed,
these are effected through the Technical Reference Groups who are
experts on the subject matter.
(b) Further details regarding training are also provided annually through
the Sector Skills
and Workplace Skills Plans.
Compiler/contact persons:
Ext:
DIRECTOR â GENERAL
STATUS:
DATE:
REPLY TO QUESTION 129 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED
Dr B NZIMANDE, MP
MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
STATUS:
DATE: