Esikhawini Campus Manager jets off to China
An ecstatic Esikhawini Campus Manager represented uMfolozi TVET College in China at the 2017 Vocational Capacity Building and Reform Seminar for South Africa, held from Tuesday 13 June to 3 July 2017.
Khaya Zulu joined 20 other South African officials and experts in education and vocational training at the seminar hosted by the Ningbo Polytechnic which is a full time public higher polytechnic educational institutions located in Beilun New Zone. “This was a lifetime opportunity. I visited China for the first time as it is a country that is developing at a high speed. My plans include implementing everything I’ve learnt and hope in the near future the College will directly establish a partnership with Ningbo Polytechnic,” added Zulu.
Part of their day to day tasks involved attending the seminar commissioned by the Ministry of Commerce. The presidents of Chinese demonstrative vocational colleges and education experts who are engaged in China vocational education also gave lessons to the trainees. There we lectures which covered an overview of development in China’s vocational education, policy, curriculum and reform of vocational education, practices and results in school-enterprise collaboration as well as problems faced by TVET institutions and the sustainable development. The trainees also visited and investigated vocational institutions with distinct characteristics in Chengdu, investigated the construction and development of Shanghai and the Ningbo Economic and Technological Development Zone.
College forms new partnership with iLembe Chamber of Commerce
College Principal, Mr Sam Zungu pictured with iLembe Chamber President, Xolani Gumede
uMfolozi TVET College Principal echoed words of jubilation after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the iLembe Chamber of Commerce in Ballito on Thursday, 15th of June 2017.“We are grateful; this is a great milestone for the College and a great response to the National Development Plan and the white paper of post school education. We are now observing the fruits of the partnership with the German associates. We look forward to this kind of partnership which grows stronger through working with industry and commerce.”
The partnership collaboration resulted from a study tour in 2016 to Germany, looking at that country's renowned dual vocational education and training model. The delegation from the national Department of Higher Education and Training, the College and the iLembe Chamber was hosted by the Kreishandwerkerschaft, a trade and business association, for the German districts of Steinfurt and Warendorf. It formed part of this association and the German Government's "Export of Education" initiative through which they share their know-how abroad.
The MoU, understood to be a first for South Africa, was borne out of the College's intention to make TVET education more responsive to the needs of all stakeholders, but especially business, thereby ensuring that it makes a meaningful contribution to addressing national socio-economic goals.
In his speech, iLembe Chamber President, Xolani Gumede expressed extreme gratitude for the partnership and went on to say, “We pride ourselves in being fixedly pioneering and to have broken new ground. The partnership speaks to our mandate for becoming more relevant. We are grateful for the College’s role and hope to have a long lasting relationship.”
The agreement will, amongst others, facilitate and streamline the placement of students from the College, on internships and apprenticeships with Chamber members. The two parties also agreed to collaborate to ensure that the College curricula is adapted to meet industry needs, current and long term, as well as ensuring that course content is more practical and relevant to industry. A further area of collaboration is the entrepreneurial support and development of students and business linkages. The College will also support the Chamber in the education and innovation activities of the Isithebe Business Cluster that was established for the Isithebe Business Park in Mandeni.
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