The theory-practice imbalance in the electrical engineering subject at a technical vocational education and training college : implications for student training

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the theory-practice imbalance in the TVET College programmes at Moses-Kotane Local Municipality in the North-West Province. The problem faced by the students at the TVET Colleges, especially in the Electrical Engineering programme, is that they find it difficult to comprehend practicals as they cannot relate it to the theory. The problem emanates from the lecturers who are not artisans and therefore find it difficult to conduct practicals. I interviewed 16 participants, i.e. 10 students, two lecturers, one Head of Department, and three host employers. From this study, it was revealed that some students do not have sufficient Electrical Engineering background, there is lack of resources for balancing theory and practice, and thus problems for students in conducting their practicums. It was discovered that some lecturers, who are not yet artisans and without relevant qualifications to lecture, contribute to the poor academic performance of students. From the findings, I recommended that all relevant stakeholders should have a sound knowledge and a strategy to balance theory and practice. The College needs to allocate sufficient funds for lecturing and practicum purposes. The lecturers without relevant qualifications need to obtain those qualifications through financial assistance from the College. The Electrical Engineering workshops need to be renovated so that there is sufficient space for students and that there is a free flow of traffic. The lecturers should prepare students thoroughly prior to their placement at workplaces.

Maikemisetso a thutopatlisiso eno e ne e le go tlhotlhomisa go tlhoka tekatekano ya tiori le tiragatso ya tiro mo mananeong a Electrical Engineering kwa Kholetsheng ya TVET kwa Lekgotlatoropong la Selegae la Moses-Kotane kwa Porofenseng ya Bokonebophirima. Bothata jo bo lebaneng baithuti kwa Dikholetsheng tsa TVET, bogolo segolo mo lenaneong la Electrical Engineering, ke gore ba fitlhela go le boima go tlhaloganya tiragatso ya tiro ka ntlha ya fa ba sa kgone go e amanya le tiori. Ke botsoloditse bannileseabe ba le 16 dipotso, k.g.r., baithuti ba le 10, batlhatlheledi ba le 2, Tlhogo ya Lefapha e le 1 le bathapi ba ba amogelang baithuti ba le 3. Go tswa mo thutopatlisisong eno, go senogile gore baithuti bangwe ga ba na lemorago le le lekaneng la boenjiniri jwa motlakase, mme ditlamelo tsa go lepalepanya tiori le tiragatso di a tlhaela; dintlha tseno di bakela baithuti mathata fa ba dira tiragatso ya tiro. Batlhatlheledi bangwe, ba ba iseng ba nne baathisene le ba ba se nang borutegi jo bo maleba go ka tlhatlhelela, ba tshwaela mo tiragatsong e e bokoa ya thuto ya baithuti. Go tswa mo diphitlhelelong, ke atlenegisa gore baamegi botlhe ba ba maleba ba nne le kitso e e feletseng le togamaano ya go lepalepanya tiori le tiragatso ya tiro. Kholetshe e tlhoka go rebola matlole a a lekaneng mo mabakeng a botlhatlheledi le tiragatso ya tiro. Batlhatlheledi ba ba se nang borutegi jo bo maleba ba tshwanetse go bona borutegi joo ka thuso ya matlole go tswa mo Kholetsheng. Mafelobodirelo a boenjiniri jwa motlakase a tlhoka go ntshwafadiwa gore go nne le sebaka se se lekaneng sa baithuti le gore motsamao o elele bonolo. Batlhatlheledi ba tshwanetse go siamisa baithuti mo go lekaneng pele ga ba isiwa kwa mafelotirong.

Maikemisetso a nyakisiso ye e be e le go nyakisisa go se lekalekane ga teori le tlhahlo ya mosomo ka gare ga mananeo a Boentsenere bja Mohlagase Kholetsheng ya Thuto le Tlhahlo ya Sethekniki le Mesomo (TVET) ka Masepaleng wa Selegae wa Moses Kotane ka Profenseng ya Leboa Bodikela. Bothata bjo baithuti ba lebanego le bjona dikholetsheng tsa TVET, kudukudu ka lenaneong la Boentsenere bja Mohlagase, ke gore ga ba kgone go kwesisa diprakethikhale ka ge ba palelwa ke go di amantsha teori. Ke bile le dipoledisano le batseakarolo ba 16; e lego baithuti ba 10, bafahlosi ba 2, Hlogo ya Lefapha, le benggae ba e lego bengmosomo ba 3. Diphihlelelo tsa nyakisiso ye di utulotse gore baithuti ba bangwe ga ba na botsebi bjo bo lekanego bja boentsenere bja mohlagase, le didiriswa tsa go lekanetsa teori le tlhahlo ya mosomo di a hlaelela; dintlha tse di hlolela baithuti mathata ge ba dira diprakethikhale tsa bona. Bafahlosi ba bangwe ga se diathisene ebile ga ba na mangwalo a maleba a dithuto go ka ruta, ba tsea karolo mo go someng gampe ga baithuti dithutong tsa bona. Go diphihlelelo tse di fihleletswego, ke sisinya gore batseakarolo ka moka ba maleba ba be le tsebo ya go kwagala le leano la go lekalekanya teori le tlhahlo ya mosomo. Kholetshe e swanetse go fana ka thekgo ya tshelete ye e lekanego ya thuto le tlhahlo ya mosomo. Bafahlosi bao ba se nago mangwalo a maleba a thuto ba swanetse go hwetsa mangwalo ao a thuto ka thekgo ya maseleng go tswa kholetsheng. Diwekesopo tsa boentsenere bja mohlagase di swanetse go mpshafatswa gore go be le sekgoba se se lekanego sa baithuti le sa go dira mosomo wa bona. Bafahlosi ba swanetse go netefatsa gore baithuti ba hwetsa bokgoni bja maleba pele ba romelwa mafelong a mosomo.