BRITISH COUNCIL CONFERENCE
18 July 2014
Post-School Education and Training in
South Africa
Prof Joy Papier, Director: IPSS
Policy direction
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the policy environment for post-schooling
receives decisive direction from the White Paper
for Post-School Education and Training (2014)
discourse: coherence, coordination, integration,
access, quality, articulation, differentiation,
partnerships, sustainable livelihoods,
expansion…
Policy environment
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policy creates an enabling environment
strongly favours the idea of partnerships
aligned to National Development Plan, New
Growth Path, Industry Policy Action Plan and the
Human Resource Development Strategy for SA
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Green Paper of 2012 highlighted the
central role of FET/TVET colleges
Caution about making FET colleges the
‘catch all’ institution
colleges cannot (and should not)
accommodate everyone in post-schooling
who needs education and training
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White Paper is therefore more nuanced
Community Colleges (ex Public Adult
Learning Centres) to be established
adults need a wide range of offerings and
community related education
Minister DHET at launch of the White Paper,
said:
“SA needs a single, coherent, differentiated,
highly articulated and yet diverse, nonracial, post-school education and training
system with all sectors playing their role
as part of a coherent but differentiated
whole”.
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College legacy issues
uneven institutional landscape
Rural/urban inequalities
education for adults marginalised
too few opportunities for all who need
unemployment, poverty
Issue of learner choice:
 Central admissions system mooted for
HEIs
 Students often by-pass their local colleges
 Travel and accommodation costs increase
 How do colleges choose ‘locally
appropriate’ programmes without limiting
student opportunities and choice?
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Targets for PSET 2030
2.5 million in TVET colleges by 2030
1 million adults in community colleges
1.6 million enrolments in university
30 000 artisans trained per year
12 new campuses by 2015
2023 – at least one institution offering
TVET programmes in every district
Purpose of TVET Colleges
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Purpose of FET colleges – White Paper
changes name to TVET colleges
p.16: “the main purpose of the TVET
colleges is to prepare students for the
workplace and/or self-employment, and it is
essential that they develop and maintain
close working relationships with employers in
their areas of study”.
Strengthening public TVET Colleges
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Programmes to be streamlined and offered in
more modes eg. part-time
Student financial, academic and emotional
support
Lecturer capacity development, formal
qualifications, proper remuneration system
Management structures
Systems to enable partnerships
Colleges still face many challenges Different levels of expertise in
management, governance, learner
readiness, financial expertise, partnerships
management
 Some colleges still under administration,
others have started turnaround
 Changes occur over time – no quick fixes
The White Paper and Partnerships
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institutions have to break out of silos
colleges have had to work hard on
partnerships
irony is that many colleges have successful
overseas relationships but battle locally
SETAs should play a role in facilitating
relationships and incentivise employers
SETAs to establish offices at colleges –
colleges should seize these opportunities
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Youth Employment Accord – to connect young
people to employment – job placements
Government depts to employ interns
SETAs asked to be pro-active towards youth
Small Enterprise Finance Agency and Small
Enterprise Development Agency
Youth unemployment seen as urgent national
challenge
SETA roles
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DHET and SETAs to map supply and demand
more funds for discretionary grants – 80% of this for
professional, vocational, technical and academic
learning (PIVOTAL) programmes that lead to
qualifications/industry awards
SETAs to provide incentives for companies to take in
learners for work placement
SETAs and TVET colleges to design programmes for
scarce skills
What is necessary for partnerships?
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stability – migration finalised; councils;
managers instead of administrators;
financial systems – inspire confidence in
sector
colleges have to look for and attract
partners
What is necessary for partnerships?
(continued)
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liaison and partnerships personnel
encourage staff to be ‘outward looking’
quality teaching and curricula for
innovation