What started as a gathering of passionate technical teachers has, 10 years later, become a national movement shaping the future of vocational education in South Africa.
The Sasol Foundation, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), and Kagiso Trust, is proud to announce the 8th Annual Technical Educators Conference (ATEC), taking place from 18–20 June 2025 at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre.
This year’s conference marks a significant milestone, 10 years of the Technical Schools of Excellence Network (TechSENet), a programme that has transformed the lives of thousands of learners and educators through technical education. With a focus on quality vocational education models and training through modern technologies, ATEC 2025 will bring together over 400 educators, TVET lecturers, policymakers, and innovators to share best practices, showcase innovations, and discuss the future of technical education.
“Behind every skilled learner is an empowered educator. That’s what TechSENet has always been about,” says Tshamani Mathebula, Head of the Sasol Foundation. “We’re not just funding events or providing textbooks but we’re walking with educators and learners on a journey of dignity, purpose, and possibility.”
ATEC 2025 will feature a range of activities, including:
- Opening Address by the Deputy Minister of Basic Education – 19 June
- Keynotes Address by the Minister of Higher Education – 19 June
- Closing Reflections by the DHET Deputy Director-General – 20 June
- Awards ceremony honouring technical educators from schools and colleges across 12 disciplines, and
- Showcases of practical classroom innovation, leadership, and learner upliftment.
Since its launch, TechSENet has reached more than 14,000 learners and 300 educators annually, helping schools improve pass rates, modernise workshops, and build bridges between theory and real-world practice. In 2023 alone, seven of its supported schools achieved a 100% pass rate in Technical Mathematics, with one learner ranked among the country’s top performers.
“This isn’t just a celebration it’s a blueprint for the future of education,” says Charlotte Mokoena, Executive Vice President for HR & Corporate Affairs at Sasol. “We’ve seen first-hand how a teacher’s access to training or a learner’s exposure to modern tools can unlock futures that once seemed impossible.”
SOURCED FROM SASOL WEBSITE.