BRITISH COUNCIL CONFERENCE 18 July 2014 Post-School Education and Training in South Africa Prof Joy Papier, Director: IPSS

Policy direction the policy environment for post-schooling receives decisive direction from the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training (2014) 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… discourse: coherence, coordination, integration, access, quality, articulation, differentiation, partnerships, sustainable livelihoods, expansion…

Policy environment 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

Green Paper of 2012 highlighted the central role of FET/TVET colleges Green Paper of 2012 highlighted the central role of FET/TVET colleges Caution about making FET colleges the Caution about making FET colleges the ‘catch all’ institution ‘catch all’ institution colleges cannot (and should not) accommodate everyone in post-schooling who needs education and training colleges cannot (and should not) accommodate everyone in post-schooling who needs education and training

White Paper is therefore more nuanced White Paper is therefore more nuanced Community Colleges (ex Public Adult Learning Centres) to be established Community Colleges (ex Public Adult Learning Centres) to be established adults need a wide range of offerings and community related education 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, non- racial, post-school education and training system with all sectors playing their role as part of a coherent but differentiated whole”.

College legacy issues uneven institutional landscape uneven institutional landscape Rural/urban inequalities Rural/urban inequalities education for adults marginalised education for adults marginalised too few opportunities for all who need too few opportunities for all who need unemployment, poverty unemployment, poverty

Issue of learner choice: Central admissions system mooted for HEIs Central admissions system mooted for HEIs Students often by-pass their local colleges Students often by-pass their local colleges Travel and accommodation costs increase Travel and accommodation costs increase How do colleges choose ‘locally appropriate’ programmes without limiting student opportunities and choice? How do colleges choose ‘locally appropriate’ programmes without limiting student opportunities and choice?

Targets for PSET million in TVET colleges by million in TVET colleges by million adults in community colleges 1 million adults in community colleges 1.6 million enrolments in university 1.6 million enrolments in university artisans trained per year artisans trained per year 12 new campuses by new campuses by – at least one institution offering TVET programmes in every district 2023 – at least one institution offering TVET programmes in every district

Purpose of TVET Colleges Purpose of FET colleges – White Paper changes name to TVET colleges 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”. 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 Programmes to be streamlined and offered in more modes eg. part-time Programmes to be streamlined and offered in more modes eg. part-time Student financial, academic and emotional support Student financial, academic and emotional support Lecturer capacity development, formal qualifications, proper remuneration system Lecturer capacity development, formal qualifications, proper remuneration system Management structures Management structures Systems to enable partnerships Systems to enable partnerships

Colleges still face many challenges- Different levels of expertise in management, governance, learner readiness, financial expertise, partnerships management Different levels of expertise in management, governance, learner readiness, financial expertise, partnerships management Some colleges still under administration, others have started turnaround Some colleges still under administration, others have started turnaround Changes occur over time – no quick fixes Changes occur over time – no quick fixes

The White Paper and Partnerships 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

Youth Employment Accord – to connect young people to employment – job placements Youth Employment Accord – to connect young people to employment – job placements Government depts to employ interns Government depts to employ interns SETAs asked to be pro-active towards youth SETAs asked to be pro-active towards youth Small Enterprise Finance Agency and Small Enterprise Development Agency Small Enterprise Finance Agency and Small Enterprise Development Agency Youth unemployment seen as urgent national challenge Youth unemployment seen as urgent national challenge

SETA roles DHET and SETAs to map supply and demand 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 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 to provide incentives for companies to take in learners for work placement SETAs and TVET colleges to design programmes for scarce skills SETAs and TVET colleges to design programmes for scarce skills

What is necessary for partnerships? stability – migration finalised; councils; managers instead of administrators; financial systems – inspire confidence in sector stability – migration finalised; councils; managers instead of administrators; financial systems – inspire confidence in sector colleges have to look for and attract partners colleges have to look for and attract partners

What is necessary for partnerships? (continued) liaison and partnerships personnel liaison and partnerships personnel encourage staff to be ‘outward looking’ encourage staff to be ‘outward looking’ quality teaching and curricula for innovation quality teaching and curricula for innovation