The Two Oceans Graduate Institute (TOGI) has celebrated its fifth anniversary, priding itself on providing access to further education.
The institute is a private higher education institution on a mission to educate teachers. Its first cohort of students was enrolled in June 2017.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde joined the institution on Saturday to mark the milestone.
The institute has enrolled more than 1 200 students to date. Its primary focus is teacher education at the intermediate phase to contribute to the improvement of education in primary schools.
Chief operating officer and registrar Yasien Ryklief commended the institute for reaching the five-year milestone while working to better society.
“The institution stands firm on the belief that an educated mind is a liberated mind through which one individual can start to change the world,” he said.
“The founding directors understood the need to create an institution that would produce teachers from underprivileged communities, teachers who understand the needs of their communities to allow them to effectively build the foundations of learners to ensure their success in the future.
“The fact that we have reached a five-year milestone is (evidence) that the vision of the founding directors is needed for our communities,” Ryklief added.
The institute is based solely online, allowing it to offer its services beyond the geographical boundaries of Cape Town.
The CEO of the institute, Dr Lourens Erasmus, said online higher education had become a preferred mode of delivery for students who need flexibility.
“TOGI will expand on the current offering and, within the next two years, will offer all qualifications in the field of initial teacher education,” he said.
“We have already started to expand our postgraduate offerings, and we will consider opening more schools in addition to the school of education in the future.”