Private further education and training in South Africa: the changing landscape

Abstract

Private provision of Technical and Vocational Further Education and Training (TVET) in the Further Education and Training (FET) band in the South African education system is an issue of national importance. To date however, information about the precise nature of this sector has been, at best, speculative.

This study sets about constructing a comprehensive picture of the private post-school TVET sector. It provides, for the first time, empirical data about the participants, the location and ownership of institutions, the programmes offered, and the delivery of private TVET provision in the country. This is supplemented by a qualitative analysis using select case studies to explore the character of the sector. Results suggest a vibrant sector underpinned by differentiation in provision types with significant overlap in the way in which providers are managed and programmes delivered.

Private Further Education and Training in South Africa provides the most up-to-date data and analysis of the sector. As the subtitle "The changing landscape" suggests, the study was undertaken in the midsts of considerable policy development in South Africa and is likely to provide an important source for understanding the sector.