The Durban University of Technology (DUT) together with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), Pax College, University of the Witwatersrand (WITS), Central University of Technology (CUT), and other stakeholders, held the second Stakeholders Articulation Workshop, last Tuesday, (4 October 2016) at Durban’s Pax College Campus.

The workshop was aimed at working out ways to address articulation policies. In 2014 government urged universities to recognise qualifications produced by Technical and Vocational education and Training (TVETS) colleges and to enrol graduates from TVETS at advanced study levels. However, two years after government’s call, TVETS graduates are still facing challenges in continuing their studies at universities.

Addressing the stakeholders at the event, Brenda Govender, Director of Pax College, said unity and collaborative efforts were needed from all stakeholders concerned in the higher education sector. “Although government approved articulation policies, there is still a great need for all of us in the higher education sector to make it work. We are finding that there are still difficulties when it comes to articulation and qualifications from TVETS which are still not as recognised as they should be in higher education,” she said.

The Government’s move to approve articulation policies entails meeting requirements of the National Development Plan (NDP), which clearly outlines that South Africa must have tripled access to higher education by 2030, and a way to achieve this was to provide accessibility alternatives for South Africa’s community by creating a link between TVETS, universities and the various higher education (HE) providers.

DUT’s Professor Darren Larten, said while institutions needed to work together in achieving NDP’s goals in forming a link between universities, TVETS and private colleges, the curriculum also needed to be relevant, flexible and be aligned. “Institutions need to support learners; the curriculum from TVETS and private colleges must be aligned with that of the universities. Universities are not using TVETS; the perception that articulation is about using the TVETS is not true. Articulation is a two way movement. What we have adopted at DUT has allowed us to divert traffic, instead of us (DUT) rejecting students. However, we are interested in your (PAX College’s) best students,” he said.

DUT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Pax College in August 2012. The MOU was signed in a bid to address the skills shortage in South Africa by providing quality tertiary education. This relationship between the two institutions has opened doors for more learners to enter higher education.

Pictured: Dr Heidi Bolton (SAQA), Prof Darren Lortan (DUT), Dr Eva Sujee (SAQA) and Dr Julie Reddy (SAQA)

Noxolo Memela, Siphephelo Sibiya, Phumeza Msongelwa