Pretoria – The Ministry congratulates the class of 2015 grade 12 Learners and wish them well in their entrance to the Post-School Education and Training environment or into the labour market. We also congratulate the educators and officials who put a lot of effort; more importantly, we congratulate the leadership of Minister Angie Motshekga.
The Department of Higher Education and Training is again operating the Central Application Clearing House (CACH) this month (January) and next month. The CACH service has been developed to assist learners who qualify for higher education studies, have applied for a space at an institution, but have not been offered a place at the institution of their choice after the matric results were released. It is also accessible to those learners who did not apply before the closing dates last year and now find that they are eligible for higher education studies.
Learners looking for spaces in the university education system can contact the toll free call centre on 0800 356 635, or send an SMS with their name, ID and contact number to 49200 and they will be telephoned back free of charge. They can also access the system via the website http://cach.dhet.gov.za . The CACH service will verify the learner’s information and forward it to institutions that still have unfilled places. Where places exist and applicants meet the requirements, institutions will contact learners to offer them available places.
The 2016 CACH service is also geared to provide general career information services, and to assist anyone interested in pursuing further education and training opportunities or other skills development opportunities in the PSET system. Learners will also be offered free career advice and be guided through possible alternative options at TVET colleges, artisan training and other skills development opportunities.
Bogus Colleges.
The Ministry want to use this time of the year to warn the prospective students who want to enroll in private Colleges that they must be circumspect of the bogus Colleges offering unaccredited programmes. The Department is working closely with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other law-enforcement agencies to closing down unregistered private institutions.
Things to look for before enrolling in the private colleges.
Students who wish to register at private education institutions must check the registration status of these institutions with the DHET. The DHET’s call centre number is 080087 2222. The Registers of private colleges and private HE institutions are available on the DHET’s website. The website address is www.dhet.gov.za/Documents/
In order to make informed decisions when choosing a private education institution, the public and students must ask the following questions before binding themselves to an agreement with a private institution:
▪ Is the private education institution registered with the DHET?
▪ If registered, is the certificate for registration displayed?
▪ Does the institution offer qualification in which you are interested?
▪ Is the qualification you are interested in listed on the certificate.