The Durban University of Technology (DUT) Midlands Project Management Office through the Imbali Education and Innovation Precinct (IEIP) recently held a hybrid Articulation Workshop concurrently on Microsoft Teams and physically at DUT’s Indumiso Campus, Engineering Boardroom.  

The Programme Director was Ms Thandi Gumbi, a lecturer at the Adult and Community Education Unit. The esteemed guests who participated in the programme were; DUT Midlands Campus Director: Dr Joe Molete, Imbali Education And Innovation Precinct (IEIP) Manager: Mr Mfanozelwe Shozi, Umgungundlovu TVET College (UTVET) Deputy Director: Ms Mary Peters, UPSET Project Coordinator: Professor Darren Lortan, DUT School Of Education HOD: Dr Nonhlanhla Mthiyane, DUT Civil Engineering Acting HOD: Dr Jacob Ikotun, former DUT Adult and Community Education Unit Coordinator: Dr Sandra Land,  Educators and Principals from Ekukhanyeni Special School, Mfundwenhle Primary School, Zibukezulu Technical High School, Funulwazi Primary School and Sukuma Comprehensive School.   

Dr Joe Molete conducting his opening and welcome remarks

Dr Joe Molete, Midlands Campus Director in his opening speech, outlined the vision of the IEIP and also encouraged stakeholders to collaborate for greater impact to be achieved.  

“The IEIP is the vision that brings us together and it is the first of the three Precincts that we will be piloting. This puts pressure on all of us to come up with something new and set a trend that can be adapted by other people.  The key question that we are going to engage on is how do we improve articulation.  The second matter is how we are going to entrench entrepreneurship in the curriculum and ensure that it is the culture that we practise daily to produce well-rounded entrepreneurs that are global citizens,” said Dr Molete   

Mr Mfanozelwe Shozi, Project Manager: Imbali Education and Innovation Precinct (IEIP) when unpacking the purpose of the workshop said the aim was to engage and encourage stakeholders to enhance articulation programmes within the IEIP.   

“In terms of the SAQA Act, we need to have multiple entry and exit points in an educational system, however, this will not happen if we do not have proper articulation programmes. It is critical for every head of department from DUT, UTVET and neighbouring schools to be champions of articulations and ensure that it is implemented. We can have policies but we need people who are passionate about what they do and make things happen,” stated Mr Shozi.   

Unpacking the DUT articulation and Post School Education and Training (UPSET) programme, Prof Lortan said: “Articulation is a national imperative that requires universities to have champions and establish articulation offices. The primary purpose of these offices would be to develop an articulation plan in collaboration with articulation partners.”   

Ms Mary Peters, UTVET Deputy Principal in her presentation on challenges and success of articulation within the higher education institutions said articulation is a social justice issue and needs a determined and committed effort to give learners what is due to them.  

“Articulation is the process of forming possibilities of connections between qualifications and/or part-qualifications to allow for vertical, lateral and diagonal movement of learners through the formal education and training system and its linkages with the world of work. Learning pathways cannot be sealed off from one another, a territory cannot be guarded at the expense of the learner,” said Peters.    

Dr Nonhlanhla Mthiyane, HOD:  School Of Education when presenting on the DUT School Of Education articulation programmes said they are one of the few schools of education that admit students with the National Certificate Vocational (NCV) qualification into the B.ED undergraduate diploma.   

Ms Nonhlanzeko Madlala, DUT NS4 Civil Engineering student when sharing her experience on articulation she expressed her sincere gratitude for the level of patience that the lectures from the Umgungundlovu TVET college have, she is currently one of the top students in Civil Engineering at DUT.     

“It was the greatest advantage for me to first study at a TVET College then proceed to further my studies at a university. Initially, it was not my plan to go to study at TVET College due to societal stigma and being undervalued, nevertheless, I am proud that I took the best and informed decision,” said Madlala.    

During a discussion session, Mr Sikhosiphi Mbanjwa, Technical Mathematics Educator at Zibukezulu Technical High School raised his concerns about Technical mathematics and its effect on learners.    

DUT staff and learners, Educators and Principals from Ekukhanyeni Special School, Mfundwenhle primary School, Zibukezulu Technical High School, Funulwazi Primary school and Sukuma Comprehensive School.

“I would like to bring the issue of technical mathematics to your attention which was introduced four years ago. My main worry is of our former learners who were doing technical mathematics and who wanted to pursue engineering courses, learners who were not accepted into universities due to technical mathematics. There is also an article that I read about a learner who had a distinction in technical mathematics and was not accepted in universities,” said Mr Mbanjwa    

He added that as an experienced educator he has been exposed to three types of mathematics which are pure mathematics, mathematics literacy and technical maths and that technical maths must not be compared to maths literacy as it is much closer to pure maths.  He also requested universities to thoroughly look into his matter.   

In his closing remarks, Dr Molete thanked all the guest speakers and everyone who participated in the workshop. He also emphasised that the discussions should not end with this workshop, different stakeholders should continue engaging, coordinate proposals together, obtain funding and implement the brilliant ideas that came through in the workshop.   

Pictured: Mr Mfanozelwe Shozi: Imbali Education and Innovation Precinct (IEIP) Manager unpacking the purpose of the day.  
Pictured: Some of the guests who attended the workshop at DUT Engineering Boardroom  

Sindisiwe Ndlovu