FROM EXPERIENCE TO RECOGNITION: 331 GRADUATES CELEBRATE RPL MILESTONE

By Precious Mupenzi

• 331 Community Caregivers from DSD-funded non-profit organisations graduated as Child and Youth Care Workers through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) at Apple Blossom Hotel, Roodepoort, on 15 October 2026.
• Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks praised the DSD–HWSETA partnership, which the Department’s HIV and AIDS unit started three years ago, for turning caregivers’ hands-on experience into formal qualifications.
• The ceremony was the third in a series of graduations, after North West and Benoni, held during Social Development Month under the theme “Strengthening Families through Partnerships”.

Years of caring for others became a moment of personal achievement for 331 graduates whose skills, experience and dedication were formally recognised at a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) graduation ceremony held at Apple Blossom Hotel in Roodepoort, Gauteng, today (15 October 2026).

The ceremony was the third in a series of graduation celebrations. The first was held in North West, and the second took place in Benoni, Gauteng, last week.

The Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mr Ganief Hendricks, addressed the graduates. He was joined by the Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Ms Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, and the Chairperson of the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA), Dr Nomfundo Mnisi.

Through a partnership between the Department of Social Development (DSD) and HWSETA, Community Caregivers from DSD-funded non-profit organisations received support to build on their practical experience and have their competencies formally recognised. The graduation marks their move from Community Caregivers to qualified Child and Youth Care Workers.

For the Deputy Minister, the occasion celebrated both the graduates’ achievements and the results of a programme that the Department’s HIV and AIDS unit started three years ago.
“I am here with all of you to celebrate your graduation, a significant moment in your lives,” said Hendricks.

He commended the Department and its partners, particularly the officials leading the initiative, Mr Nkere Skosana, Chief Director: HIV and AIDS, and Dr Luzile Nziyane, Director: HIV and AIDS Prevention, for developing and implementing a programme that empowers caregivers through education and skills development.

Hendricks highlighted the barriers faced by people who have practical skills but limited access to formal learning. He explained that RPL allows knowledge and skills gained through workplace training, experience and self-directed learning to be assessed and credited towards a formal qualification.

This approach opens doors for people whose experience might otherwise go unrecognised, while supporting further learning and improving their prospects in the workplace.

The Deputy Minister emphasised that the programme was carefully designed around the skills needed in the social development sector.

The partnership combines DSD’s sector knowledge with HWSETA’s training expertise to support caregivers working in communities.
He noted that skills development can help people pursue further studies, advance in their workplaces and explore new career opportunities. For caregivers who serve children and families through non-profit organisations, formal recognition also affirms the value of the work they already do.

The graduation took place during Social Development Month, observed under the theme “Strengthening Families through Partnerships”. The programme shows how partnerships can invest in the people who care for and support vulnerable individuals, families and communities.

As the 331 graduates celebrated, the ceremony also marked the start of the next stage in their learning and professional journeys. Their recognised skills give them a strong foundation for continuing to grow their contribution to child and youth care services.
Hendricks concluded by congratulating the graduates and encouraging them to continue their studies.