By Busisiwe Fobose

Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape – 27 August 2026: For young people in Lusikisiki and surrounding rural communities, accessing technical and occupational education should no longer require leaving home for distant towns and urban centres. The official launch and handover of the Ngqungqushe Campus of Ingwe TVET College is bringing those opportunities closer to where they are needed.

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube, officially handed over the modern campus to the community, marking a significant milestone in government’s drive to expand access to quality Post-School Education and Training (PSET), particularly in rural and underserved areas.

The campus was developed through a R170,441,549 investment by the National Skills Fund (NSF), an entity of the Department of Higher Education and Training. The investment forms part of a broader government programme to develop 13 new TVET campuses across South Africa, 11 of which have reached completion.

The NSF investment delivered engineering workshops, four classrooms, two computer laboratories, an administration building and supporting facilities. It also funded critical infrastructure including roads, parking, walkways, water, sewer, electricity and stormwater systems.

Importantly, the investment is already serving students.

The fully operational Ngqungqushe Campus currently has 1,612 enrolled students, providing young people with access to education and occupational training closer to home. Students are enrolled across NC(V) Levels 2 to 4 and NATED N4 to N6 programmes, including Engineering and Related Design, Electrical Infrastructure Construction, Civil Engineering, Motor Mechanics, Electrical Engineering, Business Management and Public Management.

Opening the doors of learning closer to home

Speaking during the handover, Deputy Minister Dube-Ncube said the development demonstrated government’s commitment to bringing education and skills-development opportunities closer to communities that historically had to travel considerable distances to access them.

“Our children from this area, Eastern Cape, who have never seen such a facility, they had to go to urban areas, they had to go to towns for them to access this education. We say the doors of learning shall be opened,” said Dr Dube-Ncube.

She said the state-of-the-art infrastructure also provides an opportunity to prepare young people for emerging areas of the economy, including renewable energy.

“We are going to be seeing students here learning alternative energy, wind, solar panels and assembling. However, in the long future we want to manufacture our own solar as well as wind energy,” she said.

The Deputy Minister further emphasised that a young person’s geographical location should not determine the opportunities available to them. “Investments such as the Ngqungqushe Campus are about ensuring that where a young person comes from does not determine the opportunities available to them. We are strengthening our TVET system and bringing skills development closer to communities so that young people can acquire the practical and technical skills required by our economy,” said Dr Dube-Ncube.

Investing in people, not simply infrastructure

For the NSF, the development represents more than the construction of a new campus. It demonstrates how strategic investment in PSET infrastructure can create lasting opportunities for communities.

NSF Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ms Melissa Erra, said the Fund’s R170.4 million investment must ultimately be measured by the opportunities it creates for people. “The National Skills Fund is not simply funding buildings. Our R170.4 million investment in Ngqungqushe is about creating an environment where young people can acquire practical, industry-relevant skills and build pathways into the economy,” said Ms Erra. “This is an investment in people, communities and South Africa’s future workforce.” she continued.

The significance of bringing such infrastructure into the region was also welcomed by the traditional leadership. Acting AmaPondo King, Daluxolo Sigcau, said the development could contribute towards empowering young people while supporting the broader development of the region. “We welcome investments that empower our region and create opportunities for our young people. Infrastructure such as this campus gives our youth access to education and skills that can change their lives, strengthen their communities and contribute to the development of this region,” said Acting King Sigcau.

Preparing young people for the renewable-energy economy

The occasion also included the launch of a Renewable Energy Training Centre, strengthening the College’s capacity to prepare students for emerging skills requirements associated with renewable energy and South Africa’s Just Energy Transition.

The Centre was established through the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA), in partnership with the Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange Centre.

At Ingwe TVET College, EWSETA delivered R3.36 million in renewable-energy training infrastructure and R2.254 million in skills training, further expanding opportunities for students to develop competencies relevant to the changing world of work.

The combination of NSF-funded campus infrastructure and specialised renewable-energy training creates an important platform through which students can acquire both established technical competencies and skills required by emerging sectors.

The launch and handover of the Ngqungqushe Campus therefore represents more than the opening of another educational facility. It brings the PSET system closer to rural communities, creates access where distance once presented a barrier and provides young people with a platform from which to build their futures.