Question NW599 to the Minister of Higher Education and Training

Reply:

1. The Policy on Professional Qualifications for Lecturers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) provides a set of qualifications for TVET college lecturers that are aligned to the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework, to be offered by universities. Universities are in the process and being supported to develop and offer the qualifications. Once the qualifications have been developed, it must be submitted to the Department for compliance evaluation with the policy, thereafter sent to the Council on Higher Education for accreditation. Thus far, one qualification has received accreditation and the University of the Western Cape is offering the Postgraduate Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching for the first time in 2017. It should be noted that the Department only took over the employment of lecturers from 1 April 2015 from colleges. Further, the Department is engaging with the Department of Public Service and Administration to provide for occupational specific conditions of service for lecturers as they were transferred into public service posts and not into educator posts.

Furthermore, the matter of minimum qualifications for lecturers is a matter of mutual interest with Unions and due to the change of status of lecturers to public service employees, the specific bargaining chamber needs to be established through Labour Relations and Public Service legislation.

The table below shows the qualifications that are being developed by specific universities.

UNIVERSITY	TVET PROGRAMMES
1. Cape Peninsula University of Technology	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
2. Central University of Technology	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
3. Durban University of Technology	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
4. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
5. Tshwane University of Technology	Bachelor of Education in Technical and Vocational Teaching and Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
6. University of Fort Hare	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
7. University of Free State	Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching and Bachelor of Education in Technical and Vocational Teaching
8. University of Johannesburg	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
9. University of Pretoria	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
10. University of the Western Cape	Postgraduate Diploma in Technical and Vocational Education
11. University of the Witwatersrand	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
12. Vaal University of Technology	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
13. Walter Sisulu University	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
14. University of KwaZulu-Natal	Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching

2. (a) The Department did not employ any lecturers in the 2014/15 financial year as they were still under the employ of colleges. Lecturers were transferred from colleges to the Department on 1 April 2015.

(b) Due to lecturers being employed in terms of the Public Service Act, there are no measures for the employment of lecturers, however priority is given in the recruitment process to ensure that qualified lecturers are employed in terms of the Policy on Professional Qualifications for Lecturers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

In 2014, the Department conducted a profile survey on TVET lecturer qualifications in which over 7 000 lecturers participated. Just under 7% of the lecturers were found to be unqualified as prescribed by the policy. However, College Councils employed most of these lecturers because of the scarce skills in certain subjects offered at TVET colleges. Most of these being artisan lecturers.

The Department is further in the process of conducting a detailed survey of lecturer qualifications and competencies in order to develop a comprehensive plan of lecturer development and support going forward. The survey will be completed and analysed by June 2017. It is important to point out that notwithstanding the outcome of the survey, the Department will have to secure funds to ensure that lecturers are upgraded to the minimum required level if they are not fully qualified.

It is acknowledged that colleges are not always able to recruit ideal lecturers for teaching in specific subjects and programmes. Some appointees may lack the professional qualifications but have the requisite technical or academic knowledge. In such instances, colleges are required to support lecturers to fill their professional gaps and/or competencies, in terms of the Individual Lecturer Professional Development Plans, which colleges are required to develop per lecturer, since 2016. Development and training may be undertaken either through formal part/full qualifications, or through professionally directed training. Workplace based experience, where necessary, constitutes part of such training.

COMPILER/CONTACT PERSONS:

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DIRECTOR-GENERAL

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QUESTION 599 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED

Dr BE NZIMANDE, MP

MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING

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