Pretoria: As the 2026 academic year is set to get underway soon, Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Dr. Mimmy Gondwe, has urged learners and students to put their best foot forward academically in order to make their dreams a reality. 'My message to students and learners is stay focused [and] study hard. Be curious and don't be afraid to dream. Dream big. I tell you; education is a weapon you can use to make sure that you become somebody tomorrow,' the Deputy Minister said in an interview with SAnews. She added that education has the power to turn one's fortunes around.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of education for women, highlighting its role in ensuring a brighter future. 'Education really makes a difference, and it's able to ensure that even as a woman, you have a brighter future and are not just relegated to the back. If you see me being anybody today, it's because I worked hard at school and I prize education,' she said.
Last September, the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, announced that the department was projecting about 235,000 first-year university spaces. While access to higher education has improved over the years, he noted that dropout rates, particularly in the first year of study, remain high. Deputy Minister Gondwe urged prospective students to be cautious of unregistered and unaccredited institutions as they seek admission. 'These are colleges that have not been registered; some are registered, but they are offering programmes that are not accredited. We get a lot of complaints around that from members of the community and students themselves,' she stated.
The Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of exploring other educational pathways such as SETAs, TVET colleges, and CET colleges. 'Learners must recognize that SETAs, TVET colleges, and CET colleges are equally important pathways into work, skills, and further study,' the Minister said. She also discussed efforts to rebrand community colleges to make them more appealing and to advocate for better funding.
In addition to formal education, the Deputy Minister highlighted the role of the Central Application Clearing House (CACH) in assisting students who have not yet been accepted at their universities of choice. This service matches applicants' exam results with available spaces in post-school institutions. Furthermore, pathways for matric graduates are available through the country's 21 SETAs, offering learnerships, apprenticeships, bursaries, and workplace training programmes.
For learners looking to improve their matric results, the Department of Basic Education's Second Chance Matric Programme offers support and opportunities for rewriting exams. Registration for this programme is currently open, and learners can enroll to rewrite or add subjects without payment.
As learners return to the classroom on 14 January 2026, Deputy Minister Gondwe encouraged them to stay hopeful. 'Do not despair; reach out to us, and we'll be able to tell you what the available options are for you. There's hope for you in this sector,' she concluded.