Pretoria - Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande yesterday reminded learners who are currently sitting for their matric examinations that there are various opportunities available to them.
The minister said the period after matric determines whether one goes on to be a productive citizen who participates actively in the economy or remains trapped in a life of poverty.
"The minister hopes that our learners will remain focused, motivated and continue working hard to ensure that they achieve the best that they can, and open further opportunities for themselves in life," said the department in a statement.
Nzimande said there were opportunities available to learners who successfully completed their matric.
These include learnerships, artisan training and internships, Further Education and Training (FET) colleges and universities offering a range of courses in fields such as business management, engineering, commerce, health and social sciences and many other courses.
Financial assistance, in the form of the National Financial Student Aid Scheme (NSFAS), is also available for students from poor families.
There are 50 FET colleges throughout the country with 264 campuses that are strategically placed in all provinces and most cities, towns and rural areas. FET colleges offer a range of programmes that cater for most students' needs and interest.
Nzimande said universities will provide access to approximately 180 000 new entrants in 2012 and this accounts for 20% of the expected enrolments at universities in 2012 and shows a steady increase in opportunities available since 2010.
