The Department of Higher Education and Training has announced the phased withdrawal of several outdated tertiary qualifications as part of a broader effort to modernise South Africa's skills development system and better align training programmes with labour market demands.
The reforms affect Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and National Accredited Technical Education Diploma (NATED) programmes, including N4 to N6 modules that were introduced before 2009.
The move follows a directive issued in June 2024, which outlines the country's transition from legacy qualifications to a modern occupational qualifications framework designed to equip students with skills that are more relevant to current industry needs.
Speaking during a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday, Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela said the transition would be carefully managed to ensure that current students are not disadvantaged.
Learners already enrolled in affected programmes will be allowed to complete their studies through existing teach-out arrangements, enabling them to finish their qualifications within a specified period.
Manamela revealed that 630 qualifications have been granted extensions during the transition process, while nearly 1,000 occupational qualifications have already been introduced as part of the new system.
He added that a comprehensive list of the qualifications being phased out will be published in the Government Gazette on Monday.
“Let me state from the outset that this transition is not about invalidating qualifications that people have worked hard to achieve, nor is it about diminishing the value of learning that has already taken place,” Manamela said.
He reassured graduates that qualifications that have already been awarded will remain fully recognised and valid.
“If you have a qualification that has been discontinued, it does not take away the skills and knowledge that you have accumulated over the years. Every qualification that has already been awarded remains valid, recognised and recorded on the National Learner Records Database,” he said.
The department says the transition is intended to create a more responsive and industry-focused post-school education system while ensuring that existing qualification holders retain the full value of their credentials.