Nzimande to clean up EC colleges

(Image: GCIS)

Nzimande's department has already placed under administration two colleges in the province - Ikhala and King Sabata Dalindyebo - following findings of irregularities including maladministration and financial mismanagement.

Another FET, Motheo, was placed under administration in the Free State.

Answering questions in parliament, Nzimande revealed the team would report back to him on what actions to take.

"This team will then advise me whether I have to place other colleges under administration as part of our strategy to ensure functionality."

Nzimande said this came after he appointed a team to provide a "full range of technical and intervention support to turn around" the FET colleges.

"As part of the turnaround strategy I have placed King Sabata and Ikhala FET colleges under administration."

Management woes

The management of the two colleges have been embroiled in controversy in the past, which included allegations of misappropriation of funds, corruption and mismanagement.

Senior managers were charged and suspended by provincial education when these colleges fell under its jurisdiction.

However, FET colleges were moved to form part of Nzimande's department in the past financial year.

The minister said a strategy to recapitalise Eastern Cape FET colleges had also been put in place.

This would enable colleges to upgrade and refurbish or build new infrastructure, buy new equipment to meet changes in curriculum and service delivery.

He said his department, in line with the provincial implementation protocols, had begun managing the FET colleges in concurrence with provinces from the last financial year.

"Therefore, the funding amount for capital expenditure [capex] allocated from 2011/12 [was] R63.2m and in 2012/13 [is] R134.6m."

The allocations for FETs in the province were as follows:

• Buffalo City received more than R4million in 2011/12 and R14m in the 2012/13 financial year;
  
• East Cape Midlands got R5m in 2011/12 and R15m in 2012/13;
  
• Ikhala received R7m in 2011/12 and R16m in 2012/13;
  
• Ingwe R5m in 2011/12 and R14million in 2012/13;
  
• King Hintsa R15m in 2011/12 and R20m in 2012/13;
  
• King Sabata R6m in 2011/12 and R16m in 2012/13;
  
• Lovedale R10m in 2011/12 and R16m in 2012/13; and
  
• Port Elizabeth R8m in 2011/12 and R18m in 2012/13.

Nzimande said outputs by FET colleges in the province included 19 upgraded classrooms and four workshops, 24 new classrooms, 11 new workshops, and admission or student support offices.

He said he had also set aside funding through the National Skills Fund and requests for additional funding from FET colleges would be evaluated.

He said additional funds for FET colleges would be made available from this financial year onwards.

Nzimande's spokeswoman Vuyelwa Qinga said FETs would be headed by an administrator for two years until functionality was restored.

"The colleges are under administration as an attempt to help them regain stability in terms of governance and financial management in the main."

The spokeswoman said no criminal charges had been laid against senior managers at Ikhala and King Sabata yet.

She said investigators would present their report to Nzimande to make a decision soon. - msindisif@dispatch.co.za

Source: Daily Dispatch via I-Net Bridge