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RMI welcomes interdepartmental MoU to strengthen STEM pipeline and learner preparedness

Feb 04, 2026 Retail Motor Industry Organisation, (RMI), Louis van Huyssteen, Departments of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training, MOU,


RMI welcomes interdepartmental MoU to strengthen STEM pipeline and learner preparedness

 

The Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), representing 8 500 businesses, has welcomed the move by the Departments of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening subject-choice guidance, learner preparedness and smoother transitions into post-school Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programmes.

 

The announcement was made last week during a media briefing on the state of the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector and readiness for the 2026 academic year, where Higher Education and Training Minister, Buti Manamela, highlighted the weakening STEM pipeline as a key structural challenge facing South Africa.

He said current trends show increasing enrolment in Mathematical Literacy instead of pure Mathematics, stagnant performance in Mathematics and Accounting, and limited growth in Physical Sciences. As a result, many learners are excluded from high-demand programmes in engineering, information and communications technology (ICT), advanced manufacturing and related technical fields due to inadequate subject-level preparation.

 

According to Louis van Huyssteen, National Training Director at the RMI, these challenges are being felt acutely within the automotive and mobility sectors.

“The automotive aftermarket, like many technical industries, is critically dependent on a strong STEM foundation,” says van Huyssteen. “When learners are steered away from core subjects such as Mathematics and Physical Science without a clear understanding of the long-term implications, it limits their access to artisan training, apprenticeships and future-focused technical careers.”

 

Van Huyssteen notes that the MoU signals an important shift towards earlier, more informed career guidance and stronger alignment between schools, colleges and industry. “This is not just about university access. It is about ensuring learners are properly prepared for a range of post-school pathways, including TVET colleges, occupational qualifications and workplace-based learning. These pathways are essential to building the artisan and technical skills base the economy urgently needs,” he adds.

 

Minister Manamela emphasised that the MoU represents a medium- to long-term structural intervention to address systemic challenges within the education and training ecosystem. He also reiterated that South Africa’s PSET system is deliberately differentiated, with universities, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, Community Education and Training (CET) colleges, occupational qualifications and workplace-based learning forming part of a single, integrated system.

The RMI has consistently advocated for a move away from a university-centric model, arguing that TVET and CET colleges are central to addressing unemployment, inequality and skills shortages.

 

“Modern vehicles are increasingly complex, incorporating advanced electronics, diagnostics and alternative propulsion technologies,” says van Huysteen. “Strengthening TVET colleges as sector-focused skills hubs, with industry-aligned curricula and modernised workshops, is vital if South Africa is to remain globally competitive.”

The Minister also highlighted the role of the newly established Just Energy Transition Skills Desk in linking learner demand with priority economic sectors, including renewable energy, construction, grid infrastructure and electric mobility  -  areas that directly intersect with the evolving automotive landscape.

 

As institutions prepare for the 2026 academic year, the RMI has urged learners and parents to engage with credible career guidance, make informed subject choices early, and consider vocational and occupational pathways as viable, respected and future-proof options. “If we want a resilient economy and sustainable job creation, we have to fix the pipeline from school through to the workplace. This MoU is an important step in the right direction, and industry stands ready to support its implementation,” van Huyssteen concludes.
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