Access to e-learning, and even learning resources, has not been made available to TVET College students as it's been made to University students. This, and many other issues such as accommodation, resulting in TVET College students being left behind were brought forward to the Parliament Committee.
TVET Colleges do not have the same access to funds to support online learning as other institutions do and were not able to continue with the academic programme like those institutions did. Links were set to students but was not always working. This also calls in the issue of data, devices and connectivity.
Many TVET College students are not funded by NSFAS and therefore cannot afford to purchase the resources needed to make online learning accessible to them or have access to data and devices that will be given to NSFAS beneficiaries. Those who are funded by NSFAS have had trouble getting their allowances as NSFAS has said there is difficulty reaching TVET Colleges and transferring funds to the colleges.
Not only do TVET College student not have proper access to e-learning, there is also a shortage of lecturers which would mean less assistance available for students. As for the lecturers that are there, it was also found that some do not have access to devices and data.
Government has made online courses available for TVET College students as well and students were encouraged to continue learning through forming WhatsApp groups with lecturers where work and communication can still be done in some way. However, the problem of devices and data persists.
As far as accommodation goes, not many TVET Colleges offer accommodation to students. Students have to travel far to reach campuses now that portions of students are allowed back or take extra measures to secure private accommodation.
These issues were brought to the Portfolio Committee of Higher Education, Science and Innovation by Student Representative Council (SRC) Presidents of TVET Colleges.
