300 likes | 468 Views
FET College Re-capitalisation. Presentation to Southern African Regional FET Conference 15 November 2007. Critical and Scarce Skills – How are FET Colleges meeting the demands?. Mission and mandate Numbers of students at colleges What are they doing?
E N D
FET College Re-capitalisation Presentation to Southern African Regional FET Conference 15 November 2007
Critical and Scarce Skills – How are FET Colleges meeting the demands? • Mission and mandate • Numbers of students at colleges • What are they doing? • What more should government and private sector do to meet the skills demands?
Mission of FET Colleges • Increase number of learners on priority skills programmes that lead to employment or higher education
Is this enough to meet the critical and scarce skills needs of South Africa?
Curriculum development • What should colleges offer?
International Trends • Studies in formal technical and vocational training programmes worldwide (an initial study UNEVOC and ILO Paper for Debate) are unequivocal: • those we train require not only skills that are applicable to work but also a knowledge base that will enable them to adapt as products and production methods change • Education and training are rapidly becoming inseparable, especially as the notion of a job for life is being replaced with lifelong learning
Determining Priority Skill Programmes for SA Step 1 • Determine what employers want, that is, relevant skills / vocational programmes: high and intermediary level skills including artisans Step 2 • Determine sectors for programmes according to ASGI-SA: 11 sectors Step 3 • Determine modalities for offering programmes: full-time; part-time; flexible
Step 1: What do employers want • Good communication skills and problem solving skills and information technology skills: translates into reading, writing, calculating and IT = fundamentals • Background or conceptual knowledge and applied knowledge: theory, practicals and workplace experience
Step 2: Which sectors require skills 11 sectors chosen according to priority skills needs and needs of ASGI-SA • Three engineering including building and civil • Four business (finance, office administration, management, marketing) • IT • Agriculture • Tourism and Hospitality Studies
Design of new vocational programmes • National Certificate consisting of seven subjects • Three compulsory subjects: language, mathematics or mathematical literacy and Life Skills (IT) • Four vocational subjects: each with theory and practical component
Step 3: Modalities for delivery of skills • One year full-time programmes for out-of-school youth • Part-time study for employed for fundamentals and / or vocational • Time-tabling and funding are challenges but not insurmountable
What should we do to support these programmes to deliver the scarce and critical skills demands?
Principles of Re-capitalisation • Comprehensive and co-ordinated approach that includes new legislation, curriculum development, staff development, infrastructure development and new funding norms
Purpose of FET College Act To provide a legal framework for the regulation of the FET College sector with a view to promoting skills development in the country
Rationale for FET College Act • To identify the FET Colleges as distinct from FET schools • To encourage a flexible and responsive FET College system • To promote increased accountability in the College sector • To provide an environment for the expansion of the FET College system
Key Elements of the Act • Governance framework for the FET College sector with an increased focus on accountability and monitoring • Framework for the appointment of management staff, lecturers and non-lecturers • Provision for funding of public FET Colleges • Framework for the registration of Private FET Colleges • Framework for quality assurance and promotion • Provision of transitional arrangements from the time of promulgation
Re-capitalisation • Infrastructure • Equipment and ICT • Development of professional staff in relation to programmes offered • Administrative systems • Student support • Bursaries
Bursary scheme • Recent changes in FET sector geared at increasing access (merger, recapitilisation, NC(V) programmes) • New curriculum addressing SA’s skills shortage • R600 million allocated for FET Colleges Financial Aid Scheme – over 3 years • 2007 = R100 million • 2008 = R200 million • 2009 = R300 million
Funding Norms • Programme-based therefore dependent on student enrolment • Government funding to 80% of priority programmes • Other programmes should be funded from other sources
FET Colleges in the 21st Century The re-capitalisation process will be driven by • programmes that meet the needs of society and the economy • research and information • redress strategies