The challenges in the professional development of TVET college lecturers in Limpopo Province of South Africa

Abstract

TVET colleges are an important part of a quality education system that can offer much needed opportunities for school leavers. The main purpose of the study was to explore the professional development state in the Limpopo TVET colleges to establish plans that can be applied to improve the professional development of lecturers at TVET colleges in South Africa in general. A qualitative research approach and an exploratory research design was used in this study. The interviews analysis with both the college management presented by participants CM1 and CM3 and the teaching staff represented by participants L1, L2, L4, SL1, SL2 and SL3 were deliberated in this chapter. This chapter also addressed the views of college management and teaching staff as backed by literature. Out of ten (10) participants, two (2) participants (CM2 and L3) did not manage to take part in the study. Participant CM2 did not make it due to ill health and participant L3 did not participate due to personal reasons. To obtain primary data from participants to investigate the challenges in the professional development of TVET college lecturers in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, semi-structured interviews was used. Responses from both management and lecturers show that there is a lack of certain skills and knowledge in both management and teaching. Senior management must accept full responsibility in implementing professional development courses to improve standard teaching and learning and must arrange and implement professional development courses to empower their lecturing staff. Lectures need to be empowered on how best they can improve their teaching skills using latest technology. But they acknowledge that through professional development courses by management, teaching skills can improve. The findings reveal that a lot still needs to be done to improve the situation in TVET colleges. That is because even though the management and lecturers agree with professional development to address their challenges, the planning and implementation still need more attention. The study recommended that for college management to execute their leadership duties more effectively, there is a need to provide rigorous training programmes in terms of the significance and consequences of professional development in the college. The senior management should take up the significance of implementing professional development courses to improve standard teaching and learning. They must arrange and implement professional development courses to empower the lecturing staff. The study also advocated that individual lecturers be anticipated to have detailed understanding of the subjects they are involved in. The study decided that professional development in the Limpopo Province TVET colleges require careful planning and implementation for the advantage of the college, economy, the students, lecturers and the nearby communities.