CET stands for Community Education and Training. You can think of CET Colleges as the “community workshops” within the national education system. While universities are like research labs and TVET colleges are specialized trade schools, CET Colleges are decentralized hubs designed to offer flexible tools (literacy, basic skills, vocational training) directly to adults and youth who need a second chance or tailored learning, ensuring that no one in the community is left without access to opportunities for personal and economic growth.
Jump to: Where are these colleges and what can they offer me? CET Colleges per province
Target Audience:
CET Colleges primarily cater to:
Out of school youth and adults
who have never attended school.
Second chance to study
Those who seek a second chance to study to improve their livelihood and increase their chances of accessing higher education institutions or employment.
Ultimate goal of the CETs
The ultimate goal is for individuals to improve their quality of life by progressively articulating into further learning, employment, and/or sustainable entrepreneurship.
Youth and adults
Out of school youth and those adults who have never attended school. Youth who may have dropped out of the schooling system due to financial, social, learning, or other barriers. In addition, The millions of adults who are unemployed, poorly educated, and not studying.
Programmes and Offerings
CET Colleges offer a diverse range of educational opportunities, generally fitting within a triad of service delivery: Formal General Education qualifications, Community-based programmes, and Formal occupational qualifications.
Key program types include:
1
Academic and Foundational Qualifications:
These are intended to help learners catch up on basic schooling.
- Adult Education and Training (AET): Four levels designed to take learners from no education or training up to the equivalent of Grade 9.
- General Education and Training Certificate (GETC): Awarded upon successful completion of AET level 4.
- National Senior Certificate (NSC) or Senior Certificate programmes.
- National Senior Certificate for Adults (NASC)
2
Occupational Skills Programmes:
These are formal and non-formal programmes aimed at preparing people for participation in both the formal and informal economy.
- Examples of skills training include: Plumbing, Welding, Basic Electricity, Early Childhood Development (ECD), Home-Based Care, and End-User Computing.
- They aim to link directly with public programs like the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to provide theoretical learning alongside work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities.
3
Community-Based Programmes (Non-Formal):
These are tailored to local needs and may include civic education (like voter education, often in collaboration with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)), life skills, driver’s licenses, and training specific to entrepreneurship
Sources used for this information:
Community Education and Training Webinar 2021
Research Report: The capacity of CET colleges to support local government skills development initiatives. 2024
South Africa’s Community and Education Training Colleges. Helen Suzman Foundation
CET College Sector Overview 2024