South Africa: Skills funding to be judged on learner outcomes

South African Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, told Parliament's Portfolio Committee that public funding for skills must be evaluated based on actual learner outcomes—employment secured, further studies, business creation, or improved incomes—rather than enrollment rates alone. "An enrolled learner must be counted as enrolled. That does not mean they have completed their training, obtained their qualification, or found a job," he stated. This shift will apply to the reform of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA), the National Skills Fund (NSF), and TVET colleges, as part of the government's "Skills Revolution" program. Manamela stressed the need for sustainable funding and reliable administration for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), with political funding support through functional decisions, appeals, accommodation, and allowance payment systems. He also criticized reports on irregular expenditure, arguing that a "reduction in the register does not in itself prove that the money has been recovered".