DHET Q4 2024/25 and Q1 2025/26 Performance; CGE recommendations implementation

Video The Committee met in Parliament with the of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to receive briefings on its quarterly performance, and an update on the implementation of the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) recommendations. The Department presented its Q4 2024/25 and Q1 2025/26 performance, highlighting an overall achievement rate of just over 59% despite spending nearly the full budget. While some programmes such as Community Education and Training showed stable delivery, persistent weaknesses were noted in Skills Development, infrastructure planning, and audit compliance. Committee members expressed frustration at the mismatch between expenditure and outcomes, poor consequence management, and recurring findings from the Auditor-General. The Department acknowledged difficulties with institutional autonomy, capacity constraints, and delays in critical projects but pointed to corrective measures, including tighter DDG performance contracts, ICT upgrades, and oversight mechanisms for SETAs. The Department briefed the Committee on progress in responding to the Commission for Gender Equality’s recommendations. Efforts are underway to strengthen survivor-centred policies, tackle GBV in Post-School Education and Training (PSET) institutions, and accelerate gender transformation, with the support of Higher Health, National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and Universities South Africa (USAf). Outreach roadshows, workshops, and new advisory roles have been introduced, alongside projects such as Men-2-Men and the Social Inclusion Review and Improvement Model (SI-RIM). However, challenges remain in institutional compliance, uneven application of sexual harassment policies, and weak accountability for transformation. The Department stressed its commitment to working with stakeholders, improving reporting systems, and building on the Minister and Deputy Minister’s leadership to drive inclusivity, student safety, and accountability in the sector.