The workplace of today is characterized by global competition, cultural diversity, technological and management processes that require people to think critically, solve problems and communicate effectively. This requires a well founded Further Education and Training system. The researchers have indicated that the provision of vocational training under apartheid, that is, prior to 1994, was characterized by unequal access to learning opportunities based on the vestiges of legal, financial and other distinctions between formerly advantaged and disadvantaged institutions (Department of Education 2001, 9). The National Department of Education decided to merge the above institutions in attempt to remove the aforementioned vestiges. Education systems do not, however, just change because there is a change in the government, but the existing structures and vested interests, material constraints and the interplay of competing ideologies do warrant changes in education systems (McGregor and McGregor 1992, 17). At the same time, education transformation goes hand in glove with political transformation as a result of the shift in the balance of political power (African National Congress 1994, 3). However, education is a fundamental process, which can be expected to reflect the values, principles and practices of a new democratic dispensation at all levels and in all sectors (Nkoe 2002, 129). The article purports to investigate the perceptions of stakeholders on the merging of the Further Education and Training (FET) colleges in bringing about transformation of the South African FET sector. The reform of the FET colleges, which resulted in the formation of the new FET institutional landscape, is seen as a means to address and fulfil the aspirations of the democratic society as set in the preambles of the new legislation, namely, the Further Education and Training Act 98 of 1998, the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998, the South African Qualification Authority Act 57 of 1995 and the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998. In order to achieve this, the legislation will be examined and the perceptions of the FET colleges' stakeholders will be explored to help achieve this objective.

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Education in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 2019. / This study sought to determine the NSC learners’ level of understandings of exponential and logarithmic functions; grade twelve teachers’ self- assessment of their readiness to teach exponential and logarithmic functions; the relationship between the educators’ self-concept about their ability to teach exponential and logarithmic functions and the actual performance of their learners; and whether or not the educators’ MCK and PCK impacted learner achievement in exponential and logarithmic functions. The study developed a conceptual framework from literature which consisted of two major components depicting learner and educator readiness. These models illustrated factors that could possibly affect the ability of the learner to succeed in understanding instruction related to exponential equations and logarithmic functions, as well as those that would prevent educators from delivering optimum instruction to learners. This study used a mixed-methods research paradigm, as there was need to collect both quantitative and qualitative data in order to adequately answer the four research questions. The survey research design was used, and data were collected through a researcher-designed test (for learners) and a researcher-designed questionnaire for educators, focusing on their MCK and PCK. The research sample, consisting of nine school principals, nine mathematics educators, and 242 mathematics learners based in nine randomly selected schools, was drawn from a target population of high schools in the uMkhanyakude education district, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Analysis was done using the SPSS version 23 software programme. The results revealed that learners had basic understanding of exponential and logarithmic functions in most aspects of the topic, although their performance was border line. For the educators, although all they were suitably qualified in terms of their minimum requirements for registration with the South African Council for Educators (SACE), their performance on the same test taken by their learners was only marginally above the performance of their learners. The educators’ responses to the question about their readiness to teach exponential equations and logarithmic functions were v mixed shedding some light on why many of them were unable to solve the same problems given to their learners. On the relationship between educators’ self-concept about their ability to teach exponential and logarithmic functions and their learners’ performance, the results showed that learners whose teachers considered themselves to be suitably qualified, knowledgeable and able to teach exponential and logarithmic functions performed significantly lower than learners whose teachers considered themselves not to be suitably qualified, knowledgeable and able to teach exponential and logarithmic functions. The results of the questions which sought to establish the impact of educators’ MCK and PCK on learner performance in exponential and logarithmic functions drew a blank, suggesting that there was no relationship between teachers’ MCK and PCK, on one hand, and learner performance, on another.

Published Article / The complexity, uniqueness and importance of performance management systems provide the milieu for the author's demonstration that staff performance remains at the heart of an institution. However, the trick is whether institutions have developed the skill of unleashing this potential. This requires a comprehensive approach, which stresses the merits of improving individual and institutional performance. This article explores one institution's perspective, experiences and challenges that were discovered during the Cinderella case study of a Further Education and Training College in South Africa. One of the distinctive features of a performance management system is that it can become a crucial quality assurance tool to ensure results.

A dissertation presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Magister Educationis in the Faculty of Education at the CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 2013 / This study explores the experiences and perceptions of students enrolled in an inclusive Further Education and Training College in South Africa. A qualitative, phenomenological design using interviews was found to be the most suitable approach to data production that would allow for the examination of feelings and perceptions around students’ inclusion. The guiding questions for the study were: 1. What are the day-to-day experiences and expectations of students enrolled at one Further Education and Training college in the Western Cape? 2. What feelings and perceptions are generated by these experiences and expectations? The data was analysed using a constant comparative method of analysis in order to accentuate the meanings that student experiences held for them. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecosystemic Theory has been used to describe the way different systems and structures influence the development of students. Through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, students’ needs are examined, revealing what their perceptions of inclusion are. The findings have indicated that while institutional intentions might express details of what is deemed to be inclusive, students’ experiences and voices are often not taken into consideration, with the result that full inclusion is not achieved.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the roll played by Further Education and Training Colleges in delivering education in South-Africa, with specific reference to technical education. As technology developed, the need for well trained artisans also increased. Technical Colleges have helped in addressing that need by increasing the theoretical knowledge of apprentices and artisans. With the political changes in South-Africa, came changes in education. Technical Colleges changed to Further Education and Training Colleges, and with that the purpose of these institutions. No longer will supplementary theoretical training be done at Technical Colleges, instead complete trade training will be done at Further Education and Training Colleges. This study has shown some problems with this new approach that need to be addressed before Further Education and Training Colleges can take their place in the provision of quality education in South -Africa. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to measure entrepreneurial intentions of students in their last year of study in Further Education and Training institutions (FETs) in South Africa. The study explored the impact of the following aspects on EI: personal backgrounds (gender, study discipline, and entrepreneurial family backgrounds); geographical location; and the self-assessed supportiveness of the contextual environment. Lastly, the strength of association between antecedents to entrepreneurial intentions and EI itself were also explored. Design: A questionnaire was administered to 360 final-year students undertaking technical and entrepreneurship-related studies at FETs in four different provinces in South Africa. Regression, Stepwise regression, ANOVA, t-test, and correlation matrix analyses were conducted to test the proposed relationships. Findings: FET students generally exhibit high levels of entrepreneurial intentions. Gender, study discipline and geographic location have no direct influence on entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurial family background, however, exerts a significant influence on entrepreneurial intentions. Furthermore, conviction has the strongest association with entrepreneurial intentions compared with the other antecedents that were tested, that is, general attitudes, image of entrepreneurship and FET supportiveness. Research limitations: The use of cross-sectional non-experimental design does not allow for conclusions to be drawn regarding causality. Only five FETs participated in the study; therefore, the generalisability of the findings to all FETs nationally is limited. Practical implications: The study indicates high levels of entrepreneurial intentions in circumstances where literature has found the opposite findings. It therefore becomes critical to find integrated teaching methods that take into account the South African environment in order to harness the high entrepreneurial intentions of students.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the roll played by Further Education and Training Colleges in delivering education in South-Africa, with specific reference to technical education. As technology developed, the need for well trained artisans also increased. Technical Colleges have helped in addressing that need by increasing the theoretical knowledge of apprentices and artisans. With the political changes in South-Africa, came changes in education. Technical Colleges changed to Further Education and Training Colleges, and with that the purpose of these institutions. No longer will supplementary theoretical training be done at Technical Colleges, instead complete trade training will be done at Further Education and Training Colleges. This study has shown some problems with this new approach that need to be addressed before Further Education and Training Colleges can take their place in the provision of quality education in South -Africa. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies at the University Of Zululand, 2016 / The inclusion of the subject, Life Orientation, in the school curriculum for a democratic education dispensation was the realisation of the recommendation of the National Education Crisis Committee or NECC (1992) in its research for a curriculum model for a post-apartheid society (CUMSA) and Educational Renewal Strategy (ERS). The NECC (1992: 79) emphasised that lifestyle education was essential for a post-apartheid curriculum in order to incorporate knowledge of and guidance on religion, economic education and physical education, to be directed at norms, values, personal convictions and attitude to life (including an emphasis on openness to and acceptance of the convictions and attitudes of others). However, studies have highlighted that Life Orientation is generally considered an appendage, an additional subject that is perceived as being of lesser importance in the school curriculum (Chisholm, 2000; Jansen, 1997; Christie, 1999). Such claims are based on the following facts: Life Orientation has the least number of periods in the school timetable; there is no formal assessment of the Life Orientation knowledge, skills, values and attitudes; learners’ performance in Life Orientation counts for less on their school-leaving certificates, than their performance in other subjects; and there is no accountability on the part of teachers with regard to learners’ performance in the subject. Therefore, results obtained in the subject do not add value in the certification process of the learner in the Further Education and Training (FET) Band. While reforms and changes have been introduced in the South African schooling curriculum for a democratic political and social dispensation, educational researchers (Chisholm, 2000; Jansen, 1997; Christie, 1999) have highlighted the challenges facing the successful implementation of the new curriculum. This study considers the mediation of the subject curriculum to be the main challenge in the successful implementation of the national curriculum statement, which provides teachers with guidelines on why, what and how classroom practice ought to be. Through the lens of the tuition of a specific subject, this study considers the competence of teachers in mediating Life Orientation in the FET Phase. This study attempted to answer the following research questions: • What paradigm informs the mediation strategies of teachers of Life Orientation? • How do teachers’ mediation strategies align content, intended outcomes and assessment for daily learning activities? • Why do teachers perceive their mediation strategies as being congruent with the attainment of the Life Orientation curriculum statement and learning outcomes? This study targeted teachers involved in the teaching of Life Orientation in the FET Phase: that is, Grades 10, 11 and 12 teachers in schools in the vicinity of the Pinetown District. A mixed method design was used to investigate teachers’ perceptions and competencies in teaching Life Orientation in the Further Education and Training band. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments were used to collect data from the participants. The researcher used open-ended questionnaires for data collection with regard to the perspectives on a mediating role for the effective teaching of Life Orientation in the FET band. The research was conducted with Grades 10, 11 and 12 Life Orientation (L.O.) teachers. There are 167 secondary schools under Pinetown District and the questionnaires were administered in 30 of the 167 secondary schools. A total of 60 teachers, that is, 2 teachers per school, teaching Grades 10, 11 and 12 were used as respondents to the questionnaires in order to answer the research question. The purpose of the survey questionnaire was to collect information regarding L.O.’s academic value, L.O. teachers’ preparedness and L.O. mediation strategies. Interviews were also used to collect qualitative data from the participants who were teachers who teach Life Orientation in the FET phase. According to McMillan and Schumacher (2010), in-depth interviews use open-response questions to obtain data on participants’ meanings regarding how individuals conceive of their world and how they explain or make sense of the important events in their lives. According to the collected data, the participants felt very strong about the importance and the academic value of the subject LO in the FET curriculum. They emphasised that the subject was invaluable in the effective teaching of the learners at this stage in order to prepare them for future careers and as future citizens. They felt a need for the subject to be recognised and to be treated with some degree of the value it deserves within the curriculum. It was mentioned by the participants that the teachers who teach the subject have to be well-prepared and trained, and also that they need to have a specialised knowledge and understanding for the effective teaching and learning of the subject to happen. Over and above they have to be passionate about the subject, and be willing to sacrifice their time and talents to develop themselves and to teach better. A variety of mediation strategies that are learner-centred were identified as the best strategies to teach the subject, in order to improve and develop learner knowledge and understanding around the subject. Strategies that keep learners fully involved in their learning and development were seen as the best strategies. Participants felt that learners learn better when they find information on their own and when they interact with others to develop knowledge and understanding. This study recommends that Life Orientation must be treated in the same manner as other subjects in the curriculum and that this needs to be shown in the allocation of time to teach the subject. It is very disturbing to learn that this subject is sacrificed a lot to benefit other priority subjects in the FET curriculum. It should always be remembered that this subject was introduced for the purpose of a holistic development of the learners. With the identified academic value of the subject, L.O., it is without doubt that the subject is indispensable within the FET curriculum.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Masters of Education (Educational Psychology) in the Department of Educational Psychology & Special Needs Education, Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 2018. / This research investigated the attitudes of Further Education and Training (FET) phase teachers toward the implementation of inclusive education in Libode District in the Eastern Cape. The investigation took place during the period between March and July 2017. The participants in this study were 182 Further Education and Training (FET) phase teachers from 12 randomly selected FET phase schools in the Libode district. Data were collected from teachers using a questionnaire. The data from the questionnaire were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results showed that the FET phase teachers in the Libode District hold negative attitudes toward the implementation of inclusive education in the Libode FET phase schools in the Eastern Cape Province. The study recommends many strategies to combat these negative attitudes, including making available a guide for FET phase schools on how to implement inclusive education, in-service training of the FET phase teachers on inclusive education, participation of FET phase school teachers in implementing the Inclusive Education Policy, involvement of stakeholders (parents and experts in different relevant fields) in the implementation of inclusive education, providing special education needs learners in FET phase schools with relevant resources, introduction of modularization to progressed learners in the FET phase schools and strengthening subject choices in FET phase feeder schools in grade eight and nine for grade ten subject streams.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies at the University of Zululand, 2018 / This study aimed at determining the role that Life Orientation teachers (LO) play in preparing Further Education and Training (FET) phase learners for Post schooling education (PSE) in Bhekuzulu circuit, Zululand District. The objectives of the study were to (a) establish the role that LO teachers play in preparing FET phase learners for post schooling education in Bhekuzulu circuit, (b) find out whether there are support programmes available to enable LO teachers support their learners for their post schooling education, (c) establish the type of challenges that LO teachers face which hinder them from supporting and preparing FET learners for post schooling education. A mixed-methods research approach was used in a case study constituted of 70 participants. To this end, the questionnaire and focus group interviews (FGIs) were used to collect data. A qualitative thematic content analysis was used to analyse data, by grouping similar themes. Furthermore, a quantitative data analysis was used to quantify the phenomenon by analysing patterns and trends of the respondents. The findings reveal that teachers do support FET learners in preparation for PSE with the little skills and knowledge they possess. However, the major challenge that prevailed in this study is that LO teachers are not trained to provide CG; most of these teachers do not have specialisation in teaching LO and/or CG. Other challenges that prevailed were the insufficient time allocated to teach LO, lack of CG resources, negative attitudes towards LO as subjects by teachers as well as school management teams. Moreover, the study found a lack of CG programmes in schools and poor implementation of these programmes, poor subjects groupings offered in schools, poor learners’ efficacy in career choices and lack of community support. The study recommends that the Provincial Department of Basic Education should train all LO teachers using accredited service providers to enable teachers to provide CG to learners in a meaningful way. Secondly, more time should be allocated to LO especially in the teaching of careers and career choices. Lastly, schools should be provided with common basic CG programmes to be implemented by all schools and be monitored intensively by the CG officials. / National Research Foundation Of South Africa (Grant Number:CP160513164973 and 105246)