OVERVIEW
Education and training The North West education sector covers high-level research to training for technicians and artisans.
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ery 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
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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.
NORTH WEST BUSINESS 2017