Exploration of factors that delay decolonisation of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), National Certificate Vocational (NCV) and Occupational Electrical Engineering curriculum in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Abstract

This study explored factors contributing to delays in decolonisation of the TVET college curriculum, with particular emphasis on the National Certificate (Vocational) (NCV) Electrical Engineering curriculum, which served as the central research question. The occupational component of the TVET Engineering curriculum was briefly engaged, because the site of study was still preparing for its eventual implementation. Some factors that stood out were inferiority complex and Ubuntu and their impact on TVET lecturers and students in relation to their interaction with the engineering content. The study followed an interpretivism paradigm qualitative research method while applying an exploratory research design. The target population was categorised into three groups, namely, TVET NCV students, TVET NCV lecturers, and community members. Twenty-four participants were selected from that population as a sample, using the non-probability and probability sampling techniques of a purposeful and systematic sampling method respectively. The study employed both closed-ended and open- ended questionnaires to generate data, which was analysed using a thematic approach. The conceptual framework guiding the study was Ubuntu, as articulated by scholars such as Ndlovu-Gatsheni, Letseka, Nkoane, Sesanti, Bangura, and Mutwa, among others. The findings revealed the presence of factors that delay the decolonisation of the TVET NCV Engineering curriculum. Moreover, these factors were found to significantly affect both students and lecturers within the TVET sector, leading to a set of proposed recommendations. One key recommendation was the use of the term Africanisation in place of decolonisation to better reflect the specific South African context of curriculum transformation. The study further recommended that large-scale research be conducted on an Africanised curriculum to examine its potential benefits and challenges for the country. In this study, the term decolonisation was used interchangeably with Africanisation, in recognition of the geographical context of the research. Additionally, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the National Certificate (Vocational) (NCV), and Occupational Electrical Engineering were collectively referred to as the TVET Engineering curriculum.