Roads Expenditure – Provinces – Summary

Artisan training has been revived from a low of 4 500 artisans in 2005 to nearly 15 000 in 2013, at a cost to government of just over R4 billion a year. The National Development Plan sets a target of 30 000 artisans a year by 2030, and expenditure is set to increase to over R5 billion by 2016 and nearly R6 billion by 2018. The low throughput rate of 56% remains the biggest obstacle facing the artisan development system. Currently about 27 000 artisan learners enter the system each year, but fewer than 15 000 qualify. The system consists of multiple routes, many of which are complex and do not optimally integrate theoretical, practical and workplace knowledge and experience. Public TVET colleges face a number of challenges in providing artisan programmes, including significant capacity constraints, a curriculum that is not aligned with the outcomes of trades and local economic needs, uneven levels of trade expertise among teachers, and inadequate work experience and employment opportunities for students. Significant investment cannot be avoided; there is no cheap way of training artisans. However, much better value for money can be obtained. The key is to improve the quality and capacity of the programmes so that the private sector regains confidence in the quality of graduates from public TVET colleges. The throughput rates also need to be improved to at least 75%; this would require a much more efficient and centrally managed system. Savings could also be achieved if public TVET colleges conducted more artisan training as part of occupational training programmes. If throughput rates could be improved, unit costs would come down and the expansion required to achieve NDP targets would become more viable and sustainable.