The management of student retention and success at technical and vocational education and training colleges in Limpopo Province

Abstract

With reference to the demands for innovation facing the systems of tertiary education internationally, the Department of Higher Education in South Africa has been revamped since the realization of the democratic Government. In recent years, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College institutions became the potential learning institutions of choice that could revitalize the economy. This resulted in merging the former 152 TVET Colleges into 50 with the intention to streamline access in order to accommodate a larger number of students for technical and vocational training. The purpose of this study was to determine how student retention and success in the TVET Colleges can be effectively managed. The study was mainly guided by the theoretical framework of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 1995) ecological systems theory that explains individuals’ relationships with their environments by means of interrelated ecological systems functioning. Secondly, applied to this study was the principles of systems theory which supplemented Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. A mixed-methods research approach was used in determining the perceptions of TVET College personnel from different levels of institutional functioning and from students from different years of registration to determine the main factors influencing student retention and success at TVET Colleges. The empirical investigation comprised of a quantitative research approach (as phase 1) using questionnaires administered to students which was followed by a qualitative research approach (as phase 2) entailing semi-structured individual interviews with TVET College employees. The researcher used the chi-square and analysis of variables tests as analysis techniques in analysing and presenting the results in in this study. The research findings indicated a strong need for relevant career guidance provided to prospective TVET College students from primary school onwards, and the establishment of a constructive student support unit at TVET Colleges to promote student retention and success. Factors that promote the management student retention and success were identified as relating to the image and reputation of TVET Colleges, sources of effective communication, and student support activities that initially and continuously motivate or hinder student retention and success in the TVET College institutions.

Na aanleiding van die oproepe om vernuwing wat tersiêre-onderwysstelsels op internasionale vlak in die gesig staar, het die Departement van Hoër Onderwys en Opleiding in Suid-Afrika sedert die instelling van 'n demokratiese regering verskeie verbeteringe ondergaan. In die afgelope aantal jare het instellings in die tegniese en beroepsonderwys- en opleidingsektor potensiële voorkeurleerinstellings geword wat die vermoë het om die ekonomie nuwe lewe te gee. Dit het gelei tot die samesmelting van die voormalige 152 kolleges in die sektor tot 50 kolleges, met die doel om toegang te vergemaklik sodat meer studente vir tegniese en beroepsopleiding ingeneem kan word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal hoe faktore wat studentbehoud en -sukses beïnvloed, doeltreffend in die tegniese en beroepsonderwys- en opleidingskollegesektor bestuur kan word. Die studie is gerig deur die teoretiese raamwerk van Bronfenbrenner (1979, 1995) se ekologiese-stelselteorie. Hierdie teorie verklaar individue se verhoudings met hul omgewings met behulp van ekologiese stelsels wat in verhouding met mekaar funksioneer. Tweedens, aan die studie was beginsels van stelsels teorie toegevoeg wat Bronfenbrenner se ekologiese stelsels teorie aanvul. Die empiriese ondersoek het bestaan uit ʼn kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering waarby vraelyste aan studente uitgedeel is, gevolg deur ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering wat semi-gestruktureerde individuele onderhoude met werknemers by tegniese en beroepsonderwys- en opleidingskolleges behels het. Die navorsingsbevindinge het gedui op ʼn sterk behoefte aan die voorsiening van toepaslike beroepsvoorligting aan leerders op laerskool en verder wat voornemens is om aan tegniese en beroepsonderwys- en opleidingskolleges te studeer, asook die vestiging van ʼn konstruktiewe studentesteuneenheid by hierdie kolleges om studentebehoud en -sukses te bevorder. Faktore wat studentebehoud en -sukses bevorder is geïdentifiseer as dié wat verband hou met die beeld en reputasie van tegniese en beroepsonderwys- en opleidingskolleges, bronne van doeltreffende kommunikasie, en studentesteunaktiwiteite wat aanvanklik en deurlopend as motivering vir studentebehoud en -sukses in hierdie sektor dien of dit belemmer.

Mayelana na xilaveko xa vutumbuluxi lebyi mafambiselo ya swikolo le ya langutiseneke na wona misava hinkwayo, Ndzavisiso ya tidyondzo ta le henhla ya Afrika Dzongayi cincile ku sukela loko hi ri eka mfumo wa xidimokirasi, Eka masiku ya namuntlha, tikholichi ta Vuthikiniki na dyondzo na vuleteri (TVET) ti hundzukile swikolo leswi nga langiwaku ku pfuxelela ikhonomi. Leswi swi endlile leswaku ku katsiwa tikholichi to ringana 152 leswaku ti va 50 ku ri ku endlela leswaku ku tekiwa na ku leteriwa vana va ku tala. Xikongomelo a ku ri ku endlela leswaku machudeni va nga lawuriwa na ku humelerisiwa njhani eka ti kholichi ta ti TVET. Dyondzo leyi yi rhangeriwa hi mavonelo ya malavisiselo ya Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 1995), mavonelo ya matshamelo na mahlamuselo ya vuxaka eka mpfanganyiso wa matirhiselo, xavumbirhi, Dyondzo leyi yi tirhisile milawu ya mafambiselo na mavonelo lama tatisaku maendleo ya matshamelo na mafambiselo ya Bronfenbrenner. Malaviseselo ya maendlelo yo pfanganana ya tirhisiwile eka mavonelo ya va tirhi ya tikholichi ta ti TVET ku suka eka matshamelo na matirhelo yaku hambana hambana ku sukela eka malembe ya ntsariso ku endlela ku kuma nsusumeto wa ku humelela ka machudeni etikholichi. Ndzavisiso lowu wu katsakanya maendlelo ya khwalithethivhi, eka xiyenge xo sungula hi ku tirhisa swivutiso leswi nga ta xiyisisiwa eka machudeni swi tlhela swilandelerisiwa hi maendlelo ya malavisiselo ya khwalithethivhi (eka xiyenge xa vumbirhi) hi ku kandzelerisiwa hi nwangulano wa xiphemu na vatirhi va ti kholichi ta ti TVET. Mulavisisi u tirhisile xikwere xa chi na ku xopaxopa swiphemu swa swikambelo leswi a swi xopa xopiwa loko ku bumabumeriwe / hlayiwe mbuyelo wa ndzavisiso. Mbuyelo wu kombisa swinene leswaku kuna ku yelana eka ndzetelo lowu nyikiwaku machudeni ya ti kholichi ta TVET ku suka eswikolweni swa le hansi ku ya ehenhla, na ku tumbuluxiwa ka xiyenge xa mpfuno wa machudeni etikholichini ta ti TVET ku tlakusa ku tiyisa na ku humelela ka machudeni. Swi nwana leswi susumetaku ku tlakusa na ku tiyisa vufambisi eku tlakuseni na ku humelerisa machudeni ya ti kholichi ta ti TVET swikombisa swi fananisiwa na xiyimo na xindzhuti xa swikolo leswi, swipfuno swa mavulavulelo, na swipfuno swa switirhisiwa swa mpfuno wa machudeni wa masungulo kumbe wa ku yisa nkucetelo kumbe xirhalanganyi xa ku tlakusa na ku pfuna ku humelela eka tikholichi ta ti TVET. MARITO NKULO