Explaining student throughput rates at the Molapo Campus of the South West Gauteng College.

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Further Education and Training college system has undergone significant policy reforms prior to and after the introduction in 2007 of the National Curriculum Programme which is intended to replace the NATED courses. Prior to 2007, reforms included FET colleges landscape reforms that led to the merger of FET colleges. The period after 2007 has been characterised by the introduction of the new FET curriculum, a R1.9 billion recapitalisation programme aimed at enrolment expansion and improving performance of the FET colleges, and the decentralisation of governance structures. However, the effect of the FET system policy reforms intervention has not been positive; the poor performance of FET colleges has persisted, as demonstrated in the empirically reported 4per cent throughput rate of NCV programmes of the 2007intake. The persistent poor performance of FET colleges has prompted the research study to focus on examining the factors affecting throughput rate, utilising South West Gauteng Collage (SWGC) Molapo Campus as a case study. The study identifies and examines factors such as governance, strategy, employees, students, resources, structures and systems that inhibit achievement of a higher throughput rate. The findings of the study revealed that the SWGC lacks the elements for organisational performance and there is no existing coherence of structural interaction and alignment, as per the organisational design and systems based on the defined colleges performance, orientated objectives that place individual and collective performance at the centre of operational functioning in the form of results-based teaching and learning. Elements for organisational performance refer to factors such as competencies of lecturers, administrative staff and management, strategy formulation and implementation which entail determination of organisational objectives responsive to the college imperatives, including institutionalisation of the college’s management and operations driving philosophy, such as a results-based management approach. The research study argues that a results-based approach is an appropriate model that can serve as institutionalised management and operations orientated practice that functions as a pivotal driver to achieve college performance and thus an improvement of throughput rate. A results-based approach will improve management effectiveness and accountability through determining realistic results and monitoring towards the attainment of expected results, through combining organisational performance whilst integrating lessons learned into leadership and management decision-making and reporting on performance on a continuous basis.