Exploring the Causes of Student Attrition in South African TVET Colleges: A Case of One KwaZulu-Natal Technical and Vocational Education and Training College

Interchange ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-407
Author(s):  
Wiseman V. Zulu ◽  
Sybert Mutereko
Keyword(s):  
Vocational Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Student Attrition ◽  
Vocational Education And Training ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Technical And Vocational Education ◽  
And Training

scholarly journals Factors affecting the adoption of activity-based costing at technical and vocational education and training colleges in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mziwendoda C. Madwe ◽  
Lesley J. Stainbank ◽  
Paul Green
Keyword(s):  
Vocational Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Public Colleges ◽  
Vocational Education And Training ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Activity Based Costing ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Technical And Vocational Education ◽  
And Training

Orientation: It is impossible to accurately determine the detailed costs of running courses offered at South African technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges, as none of them practises activity-based costing (ABC). The perceptions and knowledge of their finance staff regarding ABC adoption are unknown, making it impossible also to know their reasons for non-adoption.Research purpose: This article reports the awareness of and attitudes towards ABC held by finance staff at six TVET colleges in KwaZulu-Natal and proposes a novel model for its successful adoption.Motivation for the study: The lack of empirical studies demanded understanding of those factors that address ABC adoption at South African public TVET colleges. This study therefore assessed finance staff members’ perceptions of those factors that would support the introduction of this costing system.Research approach/design and method: This study ascertained these opinions and knowledge by surveying 30 members of the finance staff at six TVET colleges using a questionnaire.Main findings: The study’s population perceived that lack of top management support, the colleges’ cost structure and technical factors are barriers to the implementation of ABC in their institutions.Practical/managerial implications: South African public colleges should address those obstructing factors as the successful adoption of ABC will facilitate the accurate calculation of their operational costs.Contribution/value-add: The study identifies those factors that would facilitate the adoption of ABC and proposes a model that would assist in the implementation of this costing system in South African public colleges.

scholarly journals The shift to tertiary technical and vocational education and training and the demise of South Africa’s former ‘technikon’ system

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
André Kraak
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Vocational Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Vocational Education And Training ◽  
Anglo Saxon ◽  
The Past ◽  
Technical And Vocational Education ◽  
Path Dependent ◽  
And Training

Post-school systems of education and training have changed dramatically across the globe, including in South Africa, over the past two decades. It is ironic, however, that as many countries chose to renew and grow ‘polytechnic-type’ post-school education and training subsystems, South Africa (together with other countries from the Anglo-Saxon world) chose to reduce their role, largely through institutional mergers and processes of academic drift. Much of this difference in approach is path-dependent, shaped by the specific histories of capitalist evolution in each country. However, it also has to do with the faulty policy logic which has guided these changes over the past two decades. This article investigates the rise in significance of tertiary technical and vocational education and training (TVET) through brief case studies of two countries in Central and Northern Europe where the polytechnic sector has been expanded, not reduced. The discussion then shifts to South Africa, where graduation outcomes (in percentage terms) in the universities of technology have remained flat for more than two decades. The shift from secondary to tertiary TVET requires a significant expansion of enrolments and graduations in key applied technology fields, not the stasis we are seeing in South African universities of technology.

scholarly journals Leading curriculum change in South African technical and vocational education and training colleges

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 104
Author(s):  
Tercia Terblanche ◽  
Eli Bitzer
Keyword(s):  
Vocational Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Curriculum Reform ◽  
Curriculum Change ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Vocational Education And Training ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Technical And Vocational Education ◽  
And Training

This article proposes that the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) collegecurriculum in South Africa needs restructuring in order for it to support more innovativeresponses to industry requirements and TVET standards. The ultimate aim of this study was todevelop a framework for leading curriculum change in the South African TVET college sector, aframework that will be able to support training and capacity-building among TVET collegeleaders to bring about long-overdue curriculum change. To achieve this aim, curriculumleadership is essential. The multi-phased, mixed-methods research design used in this studyinvolved a questionnaire survey and follow-up group interviews with TVET college staffrepresentative of five TVET colleges in the Western Cape province. Based on these data sources,the study reports on a range of current curriculum challenges in TVET colleges which formed thebasis for suggesting a research-based framework to train leaders to take the initiative in TVETcuriculum change. The study findings confirm the need for TVET college curriculum reform,which, in turn, requires competent curriculum leadership and leadership development. Theresearch therefore contributes to theory and practice in the field of South African TVETcurriculum leadership.

scholarly journals The South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training System from a German Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 226-234
Author(s):  
Martin Kuehn
Keyword(s):  
Vocational Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Training System ◽  
Vocational Education And Training ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
The South ◽  
Technical And Vocational Education ◽  
And Training

AbstractThis paper provides information about the South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system from a German perspective as well as about South-African - German cooperation in this system gathered by literature reviews.Due to a shift in South Africa’s economy towards the service sector, the existing skills composition does not fit the needs anymore and may hinder further development. Foreign and local companies have a high demand for skilled workers.A short introduction to the TVET system is provided and challenges are pointed out. Furthermore the role of the Skills Education Training Authorities in TVET is described. Finally, the current state of South African - German cooperation in the TVET sector including a selection of projects on different levels involving German and South African institutions is outlined.

scholarly journals Evaluation of quality administrative practices in three selected Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges in KwaZulu-Natal

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nomzamo Monica Mpanza
Keyword(s):  
Vocational Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Vocational Education And Training ◽  
The South ◽  
Application System ◽  
Administrative Practices ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Academic Information ◽  
And Training

This dissertation evaluates the quality of administrative practices in three selected Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in KwaZulu-Natal, situated in the Durban area. TVET Colleges, formerly known as Further Education and Training (FET) colleges in South Africa, have undergone numerous changes since 1994. The South African government has recognized the sharp increase in unemployment, particularly among the youth of the country. There is a dearth of trained employees possessing a certain skills set required in the South African vocational industry and the government has identified TVET colleges as the panacea to address this skills shortage. Student satisfaction is important in higher education as it influences effective learning. This study adopted a mixed methods approach involving a set of questionnaires administered to students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with administrative clerks and administrative managers. A stratified sampling technique was used when collecting data from staff and a convenience sample was applied when collecting data from students. A SERVQUAL theoretical framework was employed in this study; this model explains the students’ perceptions and expectations in evaluation of administrative practices which have been used to measure service quality in an administrative service context. The result of the research indicated great importance for all TVET colleges to implement an appropriate set of processes for the administrative practices and to continuously review and refine the application system (COLTECH) being used to capture academic information for students, and the lack of support to the administrative clerks in dealing with all students’ enquiries expeditiously. Following an in-depth analysis of the results, this study recommends more consultation with students regarding administrative practices; flexibility in accessing academic information on time; a high level of communication in any enquiries; and proper monitoring of the application system (COLTECH). Administrative clerks should be authorised to rectify errors as soon as possible; continuous training; workshops and the COLTECH application system should be continuously upgraded.

The Roles of an Effective Supervisor in Technical and Vocational Education and Training

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (02) ◽  
pp. 2328-2334
Author(s):  
John Nehemiah Marwa ◽  
Hanifah Jambari ◽  
Ishak Taman ◽  
Nur Hazirah Noh@Seth ◽  
Mohd Zolkifli Abdul Hamid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vocational Education ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Vocational Education And Training ◽  
Technical And Vocational Education ◽  
And Training
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