By OBAKENG MAJE

The Taung Agricultural College will be declared as a Higher Education College in terms of Section 21 (3)(a) of the Higher Education Act, no 101 of 1997 as amended starting from 1 April 2023, says the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) representative, Athenkosi Siziba.

“The notice is hereby given that on 1 April 2022, the Minister of a Higher Education and Training, Science and Innovation intends to declare Taung College of Agriculture situated in Taung as a Higher Education College.

“The reasons for the declaration of this college as a Higher Education College is because, schedule 4 of the South African Constitution affirms that, tertiary education is a national competence,” Siziba said.

He further said, the DHET was established to enable a coherent and well-articulated offering of higher education, vocational education and skills development through a variety of post-school institutions.

Siziba added that, the DHET and Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development have entered into a protocol agreement to collaborate in addressing educational shared responsibilities and working towards declaring public Colleges of Agriculture as a Higher Education College, which is one of the constitutional types contemplated in the higher Education Act.

“A Higher Education College is an autonomous institution functioning within a legislated governance structure under a national department, with policies that regulate the way in which decisions can be made, and accountability required to the public and the national department.

“These colleges will be permitted to offer certificates, diplomas and degrees subject to meeting the accreditation requirements of the council on Higher Education. These qualifications are registered on the National Qualifications Framework by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA),” he said.

Siziba said this notice is issued in terms of Section 21(3)(b)(i) of the Higher Education Act and calls upon all interested persons to make written representations regarding the contemplated declaration.

All representations must be directed to the Office of the Director-General for the attention of Mr Athenkosi Siziba via email on Siziba.A@dhet.gov.za or any other legally recognized means of communication and must reach this office by no later than 16 January 2023.

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