The fact that the TVET sector has expanded from around 400 000, some few years ago to over 700 000 today is a very substantial expansion. This has been made possible by the combination of voted funds, significant fundraising efforts by the TVET colleges themselves and the willingness of the levy grant institutions, Sector Education and Training Authorities, Setas, and the National Skills Fund, NSF. [Applause.]
To allocate substantial sums to drive the delivery of occupationally directed programmes that address scares skills occupations in demand in the economy. Colleges have experienced a great deal of change resulting from the function shift from provincial, education departments to the national Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology and have had to completely rethink their budgets and programme offerings.