Higher Education Reforms Tabled

Statement by Dr Delmaine Christians MP – DA Spokesperson on Higher Education and Training:

The Democratic Alliance (DA) supports the reform proposals tabled by Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mimmy Gondwe, during today’s Budget Vote Debate, particularly the urgent call for the replacement of the SETA system and NSFAS with a more responsive student funding model.

At a time when youth unemployment among South Africans aged 15 to 24 stands at a staggering 60.9%, government can no longer afford to preserve systems that consistently fail young people. The Deputy Minister correctly identified that the current skills development regime is not producing the employment outcomes the economy urgently requires.

The DA particularly welcomes the proposal to replace SETAs with a system that allows industry and the private sector to directly procure skills development and training from accredited institutions. For too long, SETAs have been plagued by inefficiency, bureaucracy, poor oversight, and a disconnect between training programmes and the real needs of the labour market. South Africa’s skills development framework must become demand-driven, outcomes-based, and aligned with economic growth sectors.

The DA also supports the Deputy Minister’s acknowledgement that NSFAS, in its current form, has failed students. The repeated administrative failures, delayed payments, accommodation disputes, and governance concerns within NSFAS have undermined access to higher education for thousands of deserving students across the country.

A decentralised funding model has the potential to improve accountability, efficiency, and responsiveness.

The DA further welcomes the emphasis on STEM education, digital skills, entrepreneurship, and stronger partnerships with the private sector to create pathways into employment. South Africa’s higher education system must equip young people not only to graduate, but to participate meaningfully in a modern and competitive economy.