The integrated post-school education and training system: exploring the policy and procedure shortcomings in TVET to HEIS articulation.

Abstract

The phenomenon of articulation from TVET colleges into HEIs, vertical articulation, is a subject that is currently being investigated and has not yet been standardised, even though there is a policy that frames it. It requires education and training institutions to be engaged in partnerships to contextualise articulation according to their institutional contexts. The aim of this study was to explore the procedure and policy shortcomings of articulation from TVET colleges into HEIs as provided by the DHET articulation policy, with specific reference in the role played by a TVET college in the Eastern Cape in enhancing articulation of its graduates and exit level students, into HEIs programmes. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology where 31 research participants were purposively selected using a non-probability sampling technique. The participants comprised four students’ focus group discussions, a focus group for student support services campus staff, a structured interview with one member of the College Board management. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data from the participants from which four themes emerged, together with their subcategories. The study found that the TVET College does not have any partnerships with HEIs that specifically address the articulation of its graduates and/or exit level students or one that includes articulation as one of areas of collaboration. The study also found that the college has done very little, at least formally, to ensure that students are aware of the articulation route to HEIs as enshrined in the student support services plan from DHET developed for colleges annually. The study also found that both students and SSS staff are not fully aware of the articulation to HEIs process, with some students not even being aware that such an articulation route exists, thinking that they can only progress in TVET programmes. The study also discovered that the majority of TVET students have an interest in the articulation route to HEIs, while the few who had no interest highlighted misconceptions resulting from lack of understanding of the articulation process as their rationale for not having an interest in that route. The study also discovered challenges that are hindering or jeopardising successful articulation to HEIs. These challenges include curriculum mapping, lack of knowledge about articulation into HEIs process by both staff and students, and misconceptions about articulation into HEIs by students. The study concluded that the college does not have any initiatives meant to enhance articulation in the form of internal policy, partnerships with HEIs, knowledge sharing with students and capacitation in the form of workshops. This has led to a lack of awareness about articulation into HEIs and misconceptions thereafter from the student body. The implications for this research are that, to enhance articulation into HEIs, the college should prioritise partnerships with HEIs; internal policy development; staff and student capacitation on articulation, all specifically for articulation. The DHET should grant colleges institutional autonomy when it comes to curriculum changes to a small percentage, 20 to 30 percent, while keeping the larger part, 70 to 80 percent, standard.