Deputy Minister Dr Mimmy Gondwe led South Africa’s delegation to the 2025 Education World Forum(EWF), held in London recently. The EWF, the world’s largest annual gathering of education and skills ministers, brought together global leaders under the theme: “From stability to growth; building stronger, better, bolder, education together.”
Dr Gondwe participated in key discussions focusing on girls’ education, vocational skills, and public-private partnerships in education. During a session on vocational education and skills development alongside representatives from Mauritius and Macedonia, she called for a rebranding of South Africa’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and community colleges.
“TVETs and community colleges are often viewed as a fallback option. We must reposition them as first-choice institutions by aligning courses with future skills like robotics, coding, and AI,” said Gondwe.
She also stressed the importance of stronger collaboration between government and private sector stakeholders. In a session with counterparts from Paraguay, Botswana, and Hungary, she emphasised public-private partnerships as a key strategy to reduce youth unemployment and integrate graduates into the workforce.
“To combat youth unemployment, we must ensure our graduates are either employable or equipped to start their own ventures. This aligns with the Government of National Unity’s goals of job creation and poverty reduction,” she added.
While in the UK, Dr Gondwe visited Richmond upon Thames College, a leading vocational institution offering over 2,000 students’ career-focused programmes co-designed with industry. The visit provided practical insights into how strong industry links can boost vocational training outcomes and better align education with labor market needs.
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