The technical and vocational education and training as the basis for societal development: the comparative study of the Republic of South Africa and Lesotho

Abstract

In the global context, education has been the panacea for societal development. Because of the challenge of General Academic Education (GAE) that its products face unemployment, the other perspective of education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), has gained momentum for it has the potential to contribute significantly in development. This study establishes therefore the extent to which tertiary TVET career awareness and curricula quality and control are effective in the contexts of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) and Lesotho.

RSA and Lesotho are neighbours with a unique feature where RSA completely surrounds Lesotho. They have similar structures of governance under one type of government, democracy. They also have reciprocal relationship where Lesotho exports water to RSA for royalties and RSA earns money through granting Basotho chance to further studies and by admitting patients for quaternary health services. Modern education background in both countries was introduced by Whites and with time was controlled by their governments after independence to better their nations.

The study has been premised on theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Theoretical framework has emphasized that promotion of skills is important for production and innovation leading to economy based generally on knowledge. The conceptual framework covers understanding of main concepts in the study. It has clearly shown how they apply in the context of the study.

Literature investigation has covered two issues. In the first, it explored framework of TVET with background of TVET in the global context. It also revealed justification of TVET with regard to societal development looking mostly in the economic aspect. Understanding TVET with education cycles has thereafter been shown to highlight TVET trend within the hierarchy. It further explored TVET models in Europe, followed by management of TVET as well as general curricula. Then, in the general context the researcher, through literature, discussed ways in which TVET institutions can conduct career awareness, curricula aspects and ways by which graduates can be assisted without any empirical investigation. Also, TVET has been explored in African context looking first in the African Union (AU) perspective and second Southern African Development Community (SADC) to show policy framework. In the second, it revealed empirical literature in the context of Africa on the issues of career awareness conduct by TVET institutions, their quality assurance and control of curricula and their initiatives taken to assist graduates engage in self-employment.

The research design involves a mixed method research which combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches. It has specifically adopted QUANTITATIVE-qualitative research, that is, quantitative part dominates the whole exercise of data collection while qualitative part validates findings of the former. The survey was administered through questionnaires and interviews at Lerotholi Polytechnic and Motheo TVET College. Its population is comprised of lecturers, students and marketing officers. It has had a total sample of 102 respondents: Lerotholi Polytechnic comprised 33 students, 13 lecturers and 1marketing officer while Motheo TVET College 38 students, 16 lecturers and 1 marketing officer. Both questionnaires and interviews were guided by purposive sampling technique to lecturers and completing students in electrical and water engineering.

On the basis of methodology, the study has found that the Lerotholi Polytechnic and Motheo TVET College conduct career awareness, but it focuses on prospective secondary schools’ students, not their completing students. The study has also found that the two institutions offer education and training in curricula that are responsive to the national development goals. They accept new members on condition that they meet standardized requirements and have planned with Central University of Technology and National University of Lesotho to engage their personnel for professional development. It is only in the case of Motheo TVET College where curriculum transformation occurs while at Lerotholi Polytechnic is unmemorable. The study has further found a concern of inadequacy in infrastructure, equipment, instructional technology and they compromise quality of education. While Lerotholi Polytechnic offers enterprise and entrepreneurial education in water and environmental engineering, Motheo TVET College does not in all engineering programmes and this denies students opportunity to begin their own businesses. After graduation, the institutions do not engage in assisting their graduates to commence economic activities for livelihoods purposes.

Improving the institutions, it is recommended that first Lerotholi Polytechnic establishes a clearly articulated framework by departments and approved by institutional management on transformation of curriculum while Motheo TVET College integrates entrepreneurial education to promote self-employment by graduates. Secondly, the institutions, under the auspices of governments and private sector, should improve infrastructural developments and at the same time recruit more lecturers. Also, equipment and instructional technology should be improved for quality education and training. Thirdly and lastly, Lerotholi Polytechnic and Motheo TVET College should formulate policy by which they strategize ways of adopting business incubation and acceleration for graduates.