“I would like to begin by congratulating the students, each and every one of you, for representing not only yourselves or your institutions, but the Republic of South Africa at large. By choosing to answer the call to study in China and successfully completing your programmes, you accepted a challenge that required discipline, adaptability, and cognitive growth. Today, we celebrate that achievement
I must state that this is part of our long-standing collaboration with the People’s Republic of China in various areas of higher education and training, which continues to grow and support SA’s knowledge and skills development.
Noting that our approach to international partnerships spans across continents to provide opportunities that translate into tangible benefits for the youth of South Africa.
China has provided great support for the South African PSET system through the provision of Training opportunities, exchange programmes, research collaboration, and various scholarships that address higher institution absorption challenges and those that are not in education, employment, and Training (NEETS), ensuring that no youths are left behind.
On 3-5 December 2025, I had the opportunity to participate in the 4th Session of the People-to-People Exchange Mechanism, held under the theme “Deepening South Africa-China People-to-People Exchanges: Advancing Global South Modernisation Together.” In my capacity of the coordinator of the PPEM I delivered the report during the meeting. At the core of the report, it highlighted the mutually beneficial cooperation that exists between the two countries and the potential for new opportunities to be explored
What this means for every young person in South Africa is the need to adopt a broader, more strategic perspective when considering opportunities to study in China, not merely as an individual academic pursuit, but as part of a wider contribution to South Africa’s long-term development. Studying in China can equip young South Africans with advanced technical skills, research exposure, and practical experience in priority sectors such as science, engineering, agriculture, digital technologies, and industrial innovation.
When these skills are aligned with the objectives of South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP), graduates are better positioned to contribute meaningfully to national priorities, including economic growth, skills development, industrialisation, and global competitiveness. In this sense, international study becomes a developmental investment, enabling young people to act as bridges between global knowledge systems and local socio-economic needs.
As the first cohort of the DHET-China TVET International Scholarship programme to undertake this training in China, you occupy a unique and important position. You are the trailblazers who will define the character, credibility, and long-term impact of this programme. What you have gained through the training must now be translated into action, into skills applied, knowledge shared, and solutions developed that respond to South Africa’s real developmental needs.
You are called upon to lead with purpose in direct support of the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector objectives: to expand access to quality education, strengthen relevant and responsive skills development, and contribute to innovation, research, and inclusive economic growth. This requires you to mentor those who will follow, to actively strengthen institutional and people-to-people collaboration between South Africa and China, and to apply your knowledge in ways that advance the priorities of the National Development Plan.
As President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted, there is a crucial need to strengthen education and training cooperation in South Africa, particularly in areas that build critical and scarce skills and that support youth employment, innovation, and industrialisation. You are part of this initiative that will not only benefit yourselves but also the country at large.
I would like to express my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to the People’s Republic of China, and in particular to His Excellency Ambassador Wu Peng and the entire diplomatic staff, for their continued support, openness, and unwavering willingness to engage with us. We deeply appreciate not only the readiness with which our requests are received and considered but, more importantly, the spirit in which this engagement takes place, one rooted in mutual respect, trust, and genuine partnership.
Secondly, I would like to commend the work done by Beijing Polytechnic College (BPC), collaborating with the 9 South African TVET Colleges under the Joint Declaration of Cooperation (JDC) signed in 2024, for enabling this first cohort of students to participate in the 18-week programme in the School of Mechanical Engineering. The students were trained in the areas of Electrical Vehicles and Automation. The students were exposed to quality teaching, which brings them one step closer to aligning their skills with the industry needs of the automotive sector.
I would also like to express my appreciation the involvement of BYD as the industry partner that has provided practical training for the 36 students during their stay in China. I believe that the training exposed the students to the learning and understanding of the Chinese work ethic, culture and practices that will provide them with employability skills to adjust and adapt in Chinese enterprises operating in South Africa.
Lastly, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the dedicated staff at the DHET who demonstrated unwavering commitment to the successful implementation of this programme. Your professionalism, coordination, and tireless efforts behind the scenes were instrumental in ensuring that the initiative moved from concept to reality.
I would like to encourage you to sustain this momentum and continue strengthening these efforts for future cohorts. As we look ahead, this programme stands poised to grow in scale, depth, and strategic importance. Thank you.”
