THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS BY PUBLIC FET COLLEGES IN THE PROVINCE OF GAUTENG

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CHAPTER 3 THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS BY PUBLIC FET COLLEGES IN THE PROVINCEOF GAUTENG

 INTRODUCTION

The province of Gauteng is the country‟s smallest province in terms of geographical area. It makes up 1, 4 % of South Africa‟s total area and it comprises of a total area of 16 548 square kilometers (Gauteng Province South Africa, 2012). It is the most populous province in the country with a population of 11 191 700 that makes up 22.4% of South Africa‟s population (Gauteng Province South Africa, 2012). In terms of the 2011 Census, Gauteng Province has overtaken the province of Kwa Zulu-Natal with regard to population size. According to the 2011 census report the province of Gauteng is henceforth the country‟s most populous province with a population of 12, 2 million against the 10, 2 million population of Kwa Zulu-Natal Province which used to be the most populous (Statistics South Africa, 2012). The province‟s huge economy attracts prospective citizens from other provinces and beyond South Africa‟s borders.
The  Gauteng  South  African  History  Online  defines  the  province  of Gauteng as follows:
Gauteng means “Place of Gold” in the Sotho languages. It is the smallest province in South Africa but also the richest and most crowded. Gauteng is part of the old Transvaal. It was first known as the PWV which stands for Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vaal Triangle. These are the three urban centres that make up the province. Pretoria, South Africa‟s Administrative capital is in Gauteng, but it is not the capital of the province (Gauteng South African History online, n.d).
The significance of the province of Gauteng in the country‟s economy is outlined as follows:
Gauteng has a special role to play in meeting the national challenges of raising skills and widening access to education and training opportunities. It is the engine of the national economy. Gauteng contributes just fewer than 38 percent to the Gross Domestic Product although it has only one fifth of the nation‟s population and occupies a mere 2 percent of national territory. The origins of wealth generating capability lie in the mining sector. The infrastructure and services that sprang up to support mining have provided the foundation for the development of manufacturing, an internationally renowned financial sector and other business services. Indeed, the influence of the Gauteng economy is not confined to South Africa, since it occupies a dominant position of influence in the Southern African region (Fisher, Hall and Jaff, 1998: 5).
In terms of the aforementioned assertions Gauteng province plays a pivotal role in the South African economy. It is the richest province in the country that contributes 38 % to the country‟s Gross Domestic Product. Its economy is propelled mainly by the mining sector. However, the province‟s economy has since diversified and no longer depends only on mining. The province has an internationally renowned manufacturing and financial sector, not only confined to South Africa, but it also occupies a dominant position of influence in the Southern African region. Against the aforementioned background of economic prosperity, the province has been selected for the study (Fisher et al, 1998: 5).

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

As cited in aforementioned arguments, (see par. 1.6.2) prior to 1994 the province of Gauteng was known as the PWV. It comprises three metros, namely Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni. The province also encompasses the former Vaal Triangle region which is comprised of the heavily industrialized towns of Vereeniging and Vanderbijilpark.
Gauteng province is one of the nine provinces which were established after the 1994 elections (Gauteng Province South Africa, 2012).
The Tshwane Metro is situated in the northern part of the province and it includes the greater Pretoria region. The former Witwatersrand which was comprised of the East Rand, Johannesburg and the West Rand (see par. 1.6.2) is now divided into two metros namely Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni. The Ekurhuleni Metro is comprised of the former East Rand. It comprises of the gold mining towns of Benoni, Boksburg, Brakpan, Germiston and Springs (East Rand- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2012). The Industrial towns of Kempton Park, Bedfordview, Edenvale and Alberton also constitute the Ekurhuleni Metro. The Ekurhuleni Metro is a vast mining and industrial hub situated east of Johannesburg (Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2012).
The Ekurhuleni Metro accounts for nearly a quarter of the province„s economy which in turn contributes to over one-third of the national Gross Domestic Product (Gungubele, 2013; Mail& Guardian 22 March:22). It has the largest concentration of industry in Gauteng, South Africa and Africa and it is often referred to as Africa‟s Workshop (Gungubele, 2013; Mail& Guardian 22 March: 22).
The Johannesburg Metro is comprised of the greater Johannesburg area (see par. 1.6.2) and parts of the former West Rand. The West Rand town that is included in the Johannesburg Metro is Roodepoort. Other West Rand mining towns, namely Krugersdorp, Randfontein and Westonaria are not included in the Johannesburg Metro but they belong to the province of Gauteng. It is no surprise that the province is referred to as the economic engine of the country. The province huge and diversified economy is evidence of its economic dominance (Gauteng Province South Africa, 2012).
The previous chapter explored the role that predecessors of current public FET colleges played from Union of South Africa to post 1994 in the development of intermediate skills. The chapter focused on their skills development performance with regard to the following aspects:

  • The articulation of their curricula and course contents to the skills needs of labour markets
  • Their responsiveness to the skills needs of labour markets
  • The appropriateness of lecturer qualifications
  • Challenges affecting their efficiency in the development of skills
  • Quality compliance by FET colleges
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This chapter will focus on the role played by the public FET college sector in the province of Gauteng as mandated by the government to develop intermediate skills with the intent to address the skills deficit faced by the province‟s labour markets. This chapter will further explore the responsiveness of the province‟s public FET college sector with respect to the synergy between demand and supply of intermediate skills to the province‟s labour market.
This chapter will also critique the role that public FET colleges in Gauteng plays in the context of intermediate skills development with respect to the following questions:

  • Is the curricula and course content of the province‟s public FET colleges articulated to the skills needs of the province labour market?
  • Are the province‟s public FET colleges responsive to the skills needs of labour markets?
  • Do the province‟s educators hold appropriate and relevant qualifications?
  • What are the challenges affecting the efficiency of the province public FET colleges in the development of intermediate skills?
  • Do the province‟s public FET colleges comply with national quality standards?

Gauteng is a Sotho word meaning a place of gold. Most of the gold mines in South Africa are concentrated in this province hence the name. The significance of the province of Gauteng and its public FET colleges in the country‟s economy is better outlined by Fisher et al (1998: iv) as follows:
Given the province„s pivotal role in the national and regional economy the evolution of a robust and responsive FET system here, will have implications far beyond provincial borders”.
Thus, the province‟s FET college sector is therefore supposed to be credible and competitive (Fisher et al, 1998: 2) Public FET colleges in Gauteng belong to a region that constitutes the hub of the South African economy. Gauteng has a bigger economy as compared to other provinces and thus needs a more skilled and competitive labour force owing to its huge commerce and industry. The province‟s pivotal role in the country‟s economy challenges its public FET college sector to be responsive in terms of skills development to meet the skills demand of the province‟s commerce and industry. The province‟s public FET college sector is expected to be qualitative, articulate, efficient and responsive in terms of the curricula and course content that it facilitates (Fisher et al, 1998: iv).

CHAPTER 1 ORIENTATION TO THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM, BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY, AIMS OF THE RESEARCH AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY
1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
1.3 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
1.4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1.5 MOTIVATION FOR THE RESEARCH
1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1.7 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE STUDY
1.8 ETHICAL MEASURES
1.9 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
1.10 DEFINITION OF KEY CONCEPT
1.11 DIVISION OF CHAPTERS
1.12 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 2 TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA AND THEIR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE FROM THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA TO PRESENT DAY PUBLIC FET COLLEGES
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS
2.3 THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS BY PREDECESSORS OF PUBLIC FETCOLLEGES (TECHNICAL INSTITUTE AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES) DURINGTHE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA
2.4 THE ROLE PLAYED BY PREDECESSORS OF PUBLIC FET COLLEGES IN SKILLS DEVELOPMENT DURING APARTHEID (1948 to 1993)
2.5 THE ROLE OF PUBLIC FET COLLEGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS IN POST1994 SOUTH AFRICA
2.6 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 3 THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS BY PUBLIC FET COLLEGES IN THE PROVINCE OF GAUTENG
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK
3.3 CHALLENGES FACED BY GAUTENG’S PUBLIC FET COLLEGES
3.4 CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PUBLIC FET COLLEGE SECTOR
3.5 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOLOGY
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
4.3 THE QUANTITATIVE METHOD
4.4 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS
4.5 THE QUALITATIVE METHOD
4.6 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS
4.7 MEASURES TO ENSURE TRUSTWORTHINES
4.8 DATA ANALYSIS
4.9 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 5 RESEARCH ANALYSIS
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS
5.3 QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
5.4 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 6 DATA INTERPRETATION, DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.2 DATA INTERPRETATION
6.3 Qualitative data interpretation
6.4 DISCUSSIONS OF FINDINGS
6.5 CONCLUSIONS BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH
6.6 RECOMMENDATIONS
6.7 Concluding remarks
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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