The Select Committee on Education and Recreation is concerned by a 10-year backlog in certification of students from technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges, and implored the Department of Higher Education and Training(DHET) to address the challenge.

The committee was briefed by the South African College Principals' Organisation on the challenges with the certification of TVET students.

The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Lungelwa Zwane, said it is concerning that students, many of whom come from poor backgrounds, are made to wait more than 10 years before getting their certificates.

"The fact that we sit here with a backlog from as far back as 2007 means that someone is not doing their job efficiently between the DHET, Sita [State Information Technology Agency], Umalusi and TVET colleges," said Ms Lungelwa Zwane.

Although welcoming news that the DHET appointed a new service provider responsible for printing certificates in March 2018, the committee advised the department to meet with Sita, Umalusi and colleges to devise solutions before the end of the financial year.

"We would like to commend the department for injecting a substantial amount of capital into TVET colleges in the 2018/19 financial year, which will address, amongst other issues, the human capacity and under-resourcing of the examination section, which deals with the certification systems data. We hope that the budget will increase in subsequent years," said Ms Zwane.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.