Merseta discretionary grant window open.

The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (merSETA) Governing Board wishes to announce the that 01 April 2010 to 30 April 2010 will be the first of two Discretionary Grant Funding Windows for the year.

Eligibility criteria:
- Only the companies registered with the merSETA or in the process of registering a SETA transfer for the merSETA, or that are exempt from paying levies, may make an application.
- Where a company has more than 50 employees, it is required that the company has been consulted.
- Applications fore more than 10 learners in any learning programme category will need to comply with a due diligence exercise to verify capacity to implement the planned training.
- All training applied for needs to commence within three months of the finalisation of the award.
- Companies that have not made sufficient progress with their DG1 and/or 2 applications are strongly urged to refrain from applying for the first funding window or 2010, until their prior obligations have been met.
- Hard copy exceptions will be accepted only by exception.
- Applications should be made on the dedicated portal, accessible from the merSETA website at:www.merSETA.org.za.
- merSETA regional offices will make computer facilities available by appointment to allow for companies to make electronic uploads.
- No late submissions will be accepted.
- The funding allocations and guidelines may be requested from the call centre on 0861 607 738 or can be downloaded from the website.
- Alignment to Scarce and Critical Skills is preferred. (The list, as well as the Sector Skills Plan, are available on our website.)

merSETA regional offices can be contacted on the following numbers:
Gauteng North – 0861 637 731
Gauteng South – (011) 551 5200
Eastern Cape – 0861 637 734
Free State & Northern Cape – 0861 637 733
KwaZulu-Natal – 0861 637 736
Mpumalanga & Limpopo – 0861 637 735
Western Cape – 0861 637 732

source 2bbusiness.co.za

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R6bn budget boost for higher education

The budged for higher education is set to grow progressively over the next three years, with Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande announcing that the amount is expected to grow from R15.3-billion in the 2008/9 financial year to R21.3-billion in 2011/12.

Speaking in Pretoria this week, Nzimande said the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) figures were tentative and subject to confirmation in the budget presentation.

He said the department has also earmarked allocations of R39-million for 2010/11 and R41-million for 2011/12 for the National Institutes for Higher Education in Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape, where exploratory work is being conducted on establishing new universities.

Nzimande also recommitted his department to reducing the percentage of students who are not subsidised as a consequence of over-enrolment by universities.

Teaching development grants

Meanwhile, a ministerial task team has recommended that the current policy on the calculation and distribution of teaching development grants be discontinued.

The main recommendations of the task team are that the minister should be able to set the annual amount available for teaching development as a fixed proportion of the total allocation for teaching outputs, and that all institutions should be eligible for teaching development funding, and not only those whose performance fell below national output norms.

"These and various other recommendations of the task team have been adapted to a new draft policy, which the minister wishes to implement in 2011/12," said the Department of Education in a statement this week. "The minister will seek the advice of the Council for Higher Education (CHE) before taking a final decision on the implementation of this new policy."

One of the features of the proposed new teaching development policy is that 80% of the MTEF budget for teaching outputs would be distributed on the basis of the actual teaching outputs or graduates produced by universities, while the balance of 20% would be used for teaching development grants.

Another feature is that the distribution of the funds available would be based on the share each institution has of the degree credit total of the higher education system. This is to ensure that all institutions are eligible for teaching development funds.

Improving graduation rates

It is envisaged that teaching development grants would continue to be earmarked funds which must be used for purposes designated by the minister.

"The minister's new requirement would be that these funds must be used in targeted ways to improve the success and graduation rates of disadvantaged students," the department said.

To gain access to the funds, institutions would have to do the following:

• They would have to identify those programmes in which the graduation rates of disadvantaged students are significantly lower than those of advantaged students. They would have also to identify the courses within those programmes which are failed by large proportions of disadvantaged students.
• They would have to submit plans indicating what interventions they could make to improve success rates in these courses. These plans would have to be accompanied by expenditure budgets.
• Annual progress reports would have to have to be submitted. These would have to describe the outcomes of the implementation of the plans, including indications of changes that have occurred in success rates.

Research development grants

With regard to research development grants, the ministerial task team has recommended that the current policy on the calculation and distribution of grants be discontinued from the 2011/12 financial year.

The main features of the proposed new research policy, on which the minister will also seek advice from the CHE, include that 80% of the MTEF budget for research outputs would be distributed on the basis of the actual research outputs produced by universities.

The balance of 20% would be used for research development grants. It is also proposed that all universities would be eligible for research development grants.

"Minister Nzimande is [also] committed to advancing transformation in higher education and therefore believes that a new funding framework is necessary to ensure higher access and success rates particularly for black African and disadvantaged students, and improved quality of teaching and research," the department added.

SAinfo reporter source southafrica.info

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Proposed changes to SETA's

I am joined today by Mr Edward Majadibodu, the new Chairperson of the National Skills Authority (NSA). The NSA is a body representing five NSA constituencies: labour, business, government, community and training providers. I value the role of the NSA and thank them for joining us.

In November last year, my department assumed responsibility for skills development from the Department of Labour. At the time, we acknowledged that there were negative perceptions about the performance, management and governance of the Sector Education and Training Authorities; that there was inadequate alignment of industry needs and provision of training and skills development and particularly relating to the supply of artisans and technicians and that when the industrial policy action plan was finalised we would align skills development efforts to support its implementation.

In November, I also announced the extension of the national skills development strategy (NSDS) II and current SETA licence by one year from March 2010 to March 2011 in order to allow us time assess the SETA landscape and design the architecture of the NSDS III in line with the new administration's strategic objectives. In my budget speech last month, I noted that 19 of the 23 SETAs received a clean bill of health from the Auditor-General and that we will take decisive action to deal with the non-performers.

Today we announce three major developments:

* The public release of the proposed new SETA landscape
* The release of the draft framework for the national skills development strategy 2011/12 to 2015/16
* Steps to deal with non-performing SETAs

Restructuring of the SETA landscape

After an extensive process of review and consultation, my department has submitted to me a proposed new SETA landscape which I am now releasing for public comment and which will be gazetted. The NSA will hold public hearings before finalising their recommendations to me. The new SETA landscape will be adopted by the third quarter of this year after consultation with the NSA.

The criteria guiding the proposed new landscape are to ensure coverage of all economic sectors, financial and operational viability and alignment with current government priorities.

The proposed new SETA landscape in summary features:

* The recertification of 15 SETAs with minor changes
* The "amalgamation" of several SETAs to secure greater efficiencies which will result in the establishment of six "new" SETAs
* Reduction from 23 to 21 (the sectors served by Forest Industries Sector Education and Training Authority (FIETA), Clothing, Textile, Footwear and Leather (CTFL), and Media, Advertising, Publishing, Printing and Packaging (MAPPP) SETAs are now located elsewhere)

The annexure has the full list of SETAs and proposed changes.

The national skills development strategy 2011/12 to 2014/15

The framework of the NSDSIII 2011/12 to 2015/16 is intended to guide the development of the sectoral skills plans (SSP) for adoption by September 2010. This framework should be read as a companion to the Human Resource Development South Africa (HRDSA) Draft strategy for discussion 2010 to 2030. SSPs are five years skills development reports prepared by SETAs aimed at identifying:

* The skills needs of industry or economic sectors (skills shortages, skills gaps and skills supply)
* Possibilities and constraints in the effective utilisation and development of skills in relation to government's priorities and the objectives of the HRDS, the NSDS, provincial growth and development strategies (including major projects) and relevant industry or economic strategies.

The NSDS is the overarching strategic instrument for skills development and guides sector planning. These processes will culminate in the launch of the revised strategy at the National Skills Conference in October 2010 which will be followed by the implementation of the next five years national skills development strategy. The NSDS is released for Consultation today. I intend to finalise the NSDS framework by the middle of June and invite comment on this framework.

Non-performing SETAs

I am reviewing the governance mechanisms for SETAs and intend to take legislative steps to improve their functioning. We are also looking into patterns of mismanagement and non-performance in the SETAs and will release details within the next two weeks about action to be taken.

The Skills Development Act permits the minister, after consultation with the National Skills Authority and the SETA in question, to direct the Director-General to appoint an administrator to take over the administration of a SETA or to perform the functions of a SETA if, inter alia, the SETA fails to perform its functions. This is one of the options open to me to deal with non-performers.

We invite response to the NDSS III and the proposed new SETA landscape. The NSA will conduct public hearings from 14 to 18 June 2010 in Pretoria. Any organised constituency and members of the public willing to make submissions are invited to register and confirm their intention with the executive manager of NSA secretariat on or before 12h00 on 31 May 2010.

All applicants will be contacted by no later than 16h00 on 9 June 2010 to confirm the venue, date and time for submissions. Written submissions can also be sent to the NSA. The contact details of the NSA Secretariat are as follows:

T Mashongoane
E-mail: Mashongoane.T@dhet.gov.za
Tel: 012 312 5420 or 5066
Fax: 012 321 4032

Proposed SETA landscape

SETA name and changes

* Agriculture, Food Beverage and Forestry SETA
Amalgamation of Agriculture SETA, Food and Beverage SETA and Forestry sub-sector of the Forest Industries SETA

* Bank SETA
No SETA change

* Local Government (LGSETA)
Transfer Water Distribution sector to Energy SETA

* Construction SETA (CETA)
Incorporate Electrical Contractors sub-sector form (ESETA)

* Culture, Sport, Tourism and Hospitality SETA
Amalgamate Arts and Crafts sub-sector from MAPPPSETA and strengthen Sport sub-sector focus within tourism

* Education Training and Skills Development SETA (ETSD-SETA)
Transfer non-governmental organisations (NGOs) trade unions and political parties out of the Education, Training and Development Practices SETA.
Increase participation by the three quality councils

* Finance, Accounting, Management Consulting and other Financial Services (FASSETSETA)
No SETA change

* Energy (ESETA)

Transfer Electrical Contractors subsector to CETA
Incorporate water distribution from LGSETA

* Manufacturing Engineering and Related Services (MERSETA)
Transfer Motor and Petrol retail sub-sectors out of MERSETA transferred to Wholesale and Retail SETA

* Health SETA
Separate Health and Welfare sub sectors SETA, and transfer Welfare sub sector to a new SETA: Social Security and Development SETA

* Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA)
No SETA change

* Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA)
No SETA change

* Wholesale and Retail (W and R SETA)
Transfer Motor and Petrol Retail sub-sectors from the MERSETA to WRSETA

* Insurance SETA (INSETA)
No SETA change

* Information and Communication Technology (ICTSETA)
Transfer Broadcasting from MAPPPSETA to ICTSETA

* Transport SETA (TETA)
No SETA change

* Manufacturing SETA
Requires new SETA establishment
Amalgamate Clothing Textile, Footwear and Leather SETA, FIETA subsectors Furniture, Timber Products and MAPPP subsectors Printing, Packaging and Publishing

* Safety and Security (SASSETA)
Transfer from LGSETA traffic law enforcement and metro policing to SASSETA

* Services SETA
Transfer of Advertising and Media sub-sectors from MAPPPSETA

* Social Security and Development SETA

Requires new SETA establishment
Separate Health and Welfare SETA and amalgamate sub-sectors from ETDP (NGOs, labour unions, community development) into a new Social Security and Development SETA

* Public Service (PSETA)
No SETA change

Contact:
Ranjeni Munusamy
Tel: 012 312 5555 or 021 465 5513
E-mail: munusamy.r@dhet.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Higher Education and Training
29 April 2010
Source info.gov.za

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