THE VISUALISATION AND CONCEPTUALISATION OF THE ACTIONS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN WITH REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENTAL AND TRANSFORMATION PATH OF THE TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) SECTOR, WHAT DO WE MEAN? by XABISO “CHE” MANYA.

THE VISUALISATION AND CONCEPTUALISATION OF THE ACTIONS THAT NEED TO

BE TAKEN WITH REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENTAL AND TRANSFORMATION PATH

OF THE TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) SECTOR, WHAT DO WE

MEAN?

                                                                XABISO “CHE” MANYA.

This article proposes that the Technical and Vocational Education and Training ( TVET) colleges needs restructuring in order for it support more innovative responsiveness to the emerging economy, and to further bring about a conceptual understanding and an exposition on the challenges confronting the sector in its entirety and the direct effects they have of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college students populace and structural predicaments and setbacks on a developmental path of the country in terms of economic needs and the labour market. It is therefore imperative that we put things into practice and constantly test everything we say, while we act according to the standards we set with a sound and logical understanding of the role TVET sector in the economic development. At the centre of this discourse is to diagnose the structural dysfunctionalities that keep the sector at nadir state of stagnation. By so doing herein anticipate to arrive at a constructive solution to addressing these challenges towards guaranteeing a single coordinated standardized TVET college system that we envisage, and that is furthermore responsive to the demands of employment, labour market and economical needs of the country.

Education means service in which the society is projected, if not then it is meaningless and we do not intend to delve into how the educational system of the country is lopsided but to directly speak to the lack of system restructuring of the TVET sector and how it has become a continual structural exclusion of the vast majority of poor student that do not meet requirements to be admitted into the Universities. The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) were established (formerly known as Further Education and Training (FET) colleges) with a purpose of providing training for mid-level skills to develop the country's economy through pathways of occupational programmes in, tourism, business and management related skills; which directly respond and assist in the demands and economic needs, but as a result of the unending dysfunctionalities and their ambiguity in function. The TVET sector remains fundamentally weak and embody institutional stigma which questions their efficacy in producing skilled, qualified graduates. The qualifications offered in these institutions remain debatable. the lack of clarity in sectoral structure and composition give impetus to maladministration, mismanagement and rampant corruption; further impairing the integrity of all these 52 TVET colleges, from the Coastal KZN TVET college, Esayidi TVET college, Majuba TVET college to Vhembe TVET college, Sekhukhune TVET college, Waterberg TVET college in Limpopo, the core issues remain the same and unattended. The TVET sector colleges are then characterised with impermanence, uncertainty, unpredictability.

 At the beginning of each academic year we often ask ourselves questions on how do we forsee the year to look like as if those in upper echelons have come into realisation of their degree of responsibility but keep on doing the same thing and expecting different results, a true definition of insanity. This then brings us to a formative set of questions on how do we objectively reach our end-point and what entails the transformation of the TVET college system. These are fundamental and structural issues that hinder progress, and undermine the potential of every student being equipped with industry-related knowledge and skills that enhance their employability.

THE ENTRY AND EXIT PATHWAY OF THE SECTOR

The formation of TVET colleges was clearly grounded and rising sound concepts in its agenda of addressing the challenges faced by the society, the sector thus became everything to everyone without a standardized entry. For instance, a Grade 9 pupils are able to enroll in a National Certificate Vocation (NCV) programme alongside those who have completed their Grade 12 creating a challenge in terms of class dynamics and the validity of the qualification within the employment and labour market. The exit point of the sector also poses a challenge as any level is an exit level, this is a result of the failure to structure the National Qualification Framework within these offered programmes has further creates confusion in labour market due to lack of consistency resulting in the questionability and validity of the qualifications.

THE OUTDATED CURRICULUM OFFERED

The intentions of the TVET colleges is to adequately equip young people with necessary skills for employment or self-employment purposes, however most programmes offered within the sector prove to be unresponsive to the current labour demands leaving graduates unemployable. The supply of graduates from the TVET colleges does not correlate with the country's economic demands, and as a result the market is unable to absorb graduates. Furthermore, students remain with inadequate skills and experience due to the overemphasized theory rather than practical experiential training. The curriculum position and content is outdated due to the stagnation in developmental stages of the sector as the World continues to gravitate towards the 4Ir due to this the Sector lacks a technological relevance. “Never forget technology is a weapon, if you feel the world is not perfect as it should be, then you must struggle to put the weapon of technology at the service of the society” – Comandante Ernesto ‘che’ Guevara.

CERTIFICATION

The TVET sector has a huge crisis of certification in all the colleges. The department fails to provide certification to graduates on time due to lack of proper coordination of data collection in these institutions owed to the reality of a technological backwardness in the sector. This links to my earlier point on technology being a key to unlock the potential of the sector. The poor system of certificate disbursement has resulted in many graduates unable to apply for employment and relegating them further from accessing the economic space and opportunities.

THE POLICY POSITION AND FUNDING MODELS

There is no correspondence between policies governing TVET colleges which have given an impetus to the ambiguities that management usually capitalize on for corruption and to loot the coffers of the institutions. The policies governing do not speak to students interests and aspirations that has caused discontent. There is a need for policy review of all policies governing the TVET sector and a standardisation of policies around the sector and all colleges. One other thing that remains a challenge is the funding crisis in the sector. The role of SECTOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING AUTHORITY (SETA) in linking TVET colleges with the employer through skills programme. In terms of funding the current NATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID SCHEME (NSFAS) is not sufficient to deal with the challenges of student funding in the sector. Each year there is an increase in NSFAS qualifying students but no adequate provision of funding for students, this has resulted in a phenomenon known as “ Top-slicing” being produced by institutions where the grant afforded by NSFAS to institutions per qualifying TVET sector await for more than 3 months for their meal and travel allowances. Thus leading to an increase in drop outs due to the financial challenges encountered by students. The educational inequalities display themselves even on model of funding between the two sectors in this country.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND STUDENTS' ACCOMMODATION

A number of Colleges are without student accommodation and the physical structures in majority of TVET colleges are dilapidated and are not accommodative to students living disabilities. These institutions that are located outside the Central Business Districts are often in an uninspiring and undesirable state of near collapse are not conducive environment for effective learning and teaching; this is a significant lack of infrastructural management and mismanagement of funding allocated for infrastructural development. Students travel from far-off areas to access various campuses, the TVET colleges inability to accredit private accommodation in order for NSFAS to settle the rent students who are beneficiaries remain the core reason to the high drop rate in TVET colleges, there is a serious need to accommodate the increasing number of enrolment in TVET colleges these are impediment that stifles the progress in the sector in terms of academi excellence.

The standardization of curriculum across all the institutions of the TVET sector with an aim of putting emphasis on technological and innovative modern studies like digitalisation, automation and robotics and telecommunication that are intertwined with the current development in relation to 4IR, accreditation of students accommodation, a complete review of all policies from administration, funding to students governance, abolish the tendering system within the sector that is often given to people with no interest in the development and transformation and an establishment of a clearly defined TVET sector system that will be responsive to the current labour market and demands. This the direction henceforth should be building capacity within our students representation councils with uncompromising and decisive intention of transformation otherwise the efforts might dwindle in some insignificance. Therefore, the upliftment of TVET sector colleges is pivotal to it being given the capacity to play the role earmarked for it from its inception, and bring measures to some of the challenges experienced by South African TVET Sector Colleges. Che Guevara would speak much different to young people today, who are living under different conditions than he did over decades ago.

THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF A REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE

Ever onward to victory!