By Zibonele Ntuli, tel: (012) 314-2359

Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana says he's worried that only some of this year's matriculants would access further education and has therefore urged the Sector Education Training Authorities (Setas) to double learnership intake.
 
Speaking at the annual general meeting of Heath and Welfare Setas in Midrand yesterday, Minister Mdladlana said with the improving Grade 12 pass rate, thousands of learners would be unemployed as they lacked the basic skills required in the labour market.
 
"The greatest worrying factor that we all have is that relatively few of these young people will access opportunities for further learning work.  I urge the Setas to double your effort to increase the learnership intake and to play your part in poverty alleviation and unemployment creation," said Mr Mdladlana.
 
Mr Mdladlana also called on all Setas to engage and partner with further education and training colleges and institutions of higher education in an effort to achieve skills development.
 
"Many learners who would not otherwise access tertiary level education either due to resources or geographical limitations, have been able to turn to these alternative institutions, because of their existence in many parts of our country," he said.
 
He added that he was pleased that the Health and Welfare Seta had met the targets set with his department and admitted 3 577 learners exceeding the target by a 762 intake.
 
The minister said he had confidence in the Setas. He said all 25 Setas had already recorded 82 425 learners for learnerships and apprenticeships by the end of October which was above the 80 000 target by March next year.
 
"I therefore call upon those critics who called for the scrapping of Setas to retract their statements with immediate effect to join me in saying despite some teething problems in their first four years, Setas have contributed something to our society," he said. - BuaNews