The need for the development of formal qualifications for TVET Lecturers

TVET - Technical and Vocational Education and Training has been part of the South African education and training system for a very long time. Interest in TVET peaked in recent years because it has fuelled extraordinary economic growth in some countries. During 2010 to 2013 enrolments at TVET colleges has increased from 350 000 to 650 000. The 2030 target is to have an enrolment of 2.5 million in TVET colleges. In the White Paper on Post-school Education and Training, the TVET sector is seen to be ?the cornerstone of the country?s skills development system in order to address the country?s critical skills shortages?. However, the same White Paper hints at the current shortcomings experienced in respect of lecturing staff: the current lecturing staff complement is inadequate for the growing student numbers; they are inadequately trained; or are not specializing in the disciplines they teach. Therefore, the sector is very poorly prepared for the massive development drive mentioned in the White Paper. In order to rectify this the Department of Higher Education published The Policy on Professional Qualifications for Lecturers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Because there is no training facilities for TVET College lecturers, colleges were more often than not, forced to appoint lecturers from their own graduates because no other trained personnel are available. Universities and Universities of Technology are being tasked to develop formal qualifications for TVET college lecturers. This will ensure the future lecturers will have a path to specialized qualifications in order to build capacity in the TVET system.