Increasing the appeal of TVET has been noted as a significant policy challenge both nationally and globally. Internationally, there are policy documents that suggest that TVET continues to struggle for parity of esteem with other forms of education (UNESCO, 2012). Nationally, enrolment trends suggest that there is need to expand the role of TVET. Based on DHET enrolment statistics for 2011 (DHET, 2013a: 15); total enrolment at FET colleges was approximately a third of Higher Education (HE) enrolments. The total enrolments for FET colleges and HE institutions combined are approximately a third of the total number of NEETs (DHET, 2013b: 3). This indicates the great urgency to increase access to quality TVET for all. The significance of widening TVET provision is further highlighted by the fact that HE institutions do not have the capacity to fully service the country’s education and skills needs. This means that a significant portion of the country’s skills development needs has to be taken on by TVET institutions. This perhaps begins to capture the complexity of the challenge facing TVET institutions in South Africa; to open up access while maintaining quality provisioning. Moreover there is also a need to interrogate the nature of the engagement between TVET institutions and the communities that surround them. The question therefore is; in a country where the preference of students and parents is HE, how does TVET begin to attract greater numbers? Institutionally each TVET site will have to be more proactive and robust in engaging with the challenges they encounter on the ground. While the TVET system as a whole requires greater cohesion in leadership and strategy…

Contact Email: Ramataboe.l@dhet.gov.za
Contact Person: Ms Lineo Ramataboe