Transforming Further Education and Training in South Africa

A case study of technical colleges in Kwazulu-Natal. Volume 1 - Qualitative findings and analysis This report comprises a detailed study of technical college provision in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The findings raise four significant issues that are relevant to the transformation of technical colleges nationally. Firstly, the teaching and learning environment is sub-optimal. Students receive little academic support and there are almost no academic development programmes for lecturing staff. Secondly, the social relations at the technical colleges are tense, with few institutions having successfully come to terms with the rapid deracialisation of student enrolments over the past five years. Thirdly, the labour market surrounding these institutions appears to be totally dysfunctional as few students obtain employment after technical college training. Lastly, there is clearly a need for institutional restructuring as a result of the separate development policies of the past. The formation of fewer mega-colleges located in key economic regions must be urgently considered as a way of renewing the relevance of these institutions to South Africa's new social and economic needs.

1. Study of Technical Colleges in KwaZulu-Natal: a Methodological Introduction – Andre Kraak and Graham Hall
2. Problems Facing Further Education and Training – Andre Kraak
3. Planning Imperative: New Policy Framework in FET – Andre Kraak
4. Socio-economic and Educational Profile of KwaZulu-Natal – Nisaar Mahomed
5. Quantitative Overview of the Technical Colleges of KwaZulu-Natal – Graham Hall
6. Learning, Teaching and Management Environment: Evidence From the Qualitative Case Studies – Andre Kraak
7. Autonomy and Responsiveness: Evidence from the Qualitative Case Studies – Andre Kraak
8. Critical Overview: The Need for Labour Market and Institutional Reform – Andre Kraak
Bibliography