Summative evaluation of the West Coast Further Education and Training College

Abstract

This document reports on the evaluation undertaken at West Coast Further Education and Training College in February 2009. The evaluation was undertaken as part of the roll out of Danida's Support to Education and Skills Development, Phase II (SESD II). The SESD programme aims to support transformation in the Further Education and Training (FET) college sector at the national level; in the three targeted provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, North West and the Western Cape and in the participating colleges. The development objective is to increase the employability of male and female youth and adults, through supporting the delivery of practical and labour market oriented education and skills training within the FET band. The SESD programme consists of two phases: SESD I (from 2003 to 2006) and SESD II (started in July 2007). While SESD I focused on seven colleges, two more colleges were included in SESD II, bringing the total number of colleges supported during this phase up to nine. The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) was engaged during SESD I to design and implement a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system that measured the transformation in SESD supported colleges and provinces. The M&E system was designed as an incremental evaluation model to be employed over the three year period of SESD I. It took the form of a baseline study at each of the seven participating colleges. These were followed by a series of formative assessments at approximately six-monthly intervals and a summative assessment at the end of the three year phase. At the baseline assessment and each successive assessment colleges were rated against various characteristics that formed the elements of seven key dimensions in which improvements at college level are likely to lead to better education and more employable learners in the FET sector. The dimensions are: values and vision, leadership and management, knowledge sharing, institutional health, responsiveness (partnerships and programmes), teaching and learning, and learner support. A baseline study equivalent to that conducted at the seven colleges participating in the SESD I programme was carried out at West Coast College in June-July 2007. The current assessment is designed to monitor and evaluate the achievements at the college since the baseline assessment. A brief overview of the main SESD II programme interventions at West Coast College from 2006 is provided in the next section.