North West Business 2017 edition

Education and training
The North West education sector covers high-level research to training for
technicians and artisans.
OVERVIEW
Very advanced research can be found in the laboratories of
North West University into subjects such as astrophysics
and applied molecular modelling. At the same time, provincial
education authorities are trying to overcome huge
challenges at rural schools. An important part of the latter process is
the expansion of boarding schools, to which an amount of R500-million
has been allocated in the medium-term framework.
The North West Provincial Government’s broader policy aimed at
uplifting rural areas will see the Department of Education and Sport
Development directing more resources to schools in the villages,
townships and small dorpies (VTSD).
There are 1 465 primary and high schools in the state sector in
the North West. Spending on new infrastructure and on renovations
is set to continue for many years, offering many opportunities
to contractors.
South Africa has more private or independent schools than ever before.
The opening of the PLG Hartbeespoort Academy in 2016 marked the first
investment into the province of the Pembury Lifestyle Group. PLG has 19
schools on seven campuses, mostly in Gauteng. PLG intends listing on the
Alternative Exchange of the JSE in order to raise capital for further expansion.
Curro believes it will be running 200 schools in South Africa by 2020,
double its current number. In the North West there are three Curro
schools, in Rustenburg, Klerksdorp and Mahikeng.
University
North West University (NWU) had 67 000 students registered in 2015,
with about 26 000 of studying by correspondence. The university’s
main campus is at Potchefstroom with satellite campuses at Mmabatho
and Vanderbijlpark.
ONLINE RESOURCES
National Department of Basic Education: www.education.gov.za
National Department of Higher Education and Training:
www.dhet.gov.za
North West University: www.nwu.ac.za
SECTOR INSIGHT
A new private school has
opened in Hartbeespoort.
• Taung Agricultural College
received R13.4-million
from a Danish company.
Colleges
North West has three large
TVET colleges. Vuselela TVET
College has its headquarters
in Klerksdorp, where there is
also an accredited trade test
centre. There are a further four
campuses: Jouberton Centre for
Engineering Studies; Matlosana
Campus; Potchefstroom Centre
for ICT; and Taung Campus.
Orbit TVET College has three
sites, Rustenburg, Mankwe and
Brits and in 2015, the total headcount
of students was 15 012.
In 2015, the Taung Agricultural
College received a R13.4-million
donation from Danish catalysis
company Haldor Topsøe The
college had recently been reaccredited
by the Council on
Higher Education (CHE) to offer
the NQF Level 6 Diploma
in Agriculture specialising in
Irrigation Technology.
39 NORTH WEST BUSINESS 2017