Barriers to learning at a technical vocational education and training college in Limpopo : a case of a national certificate vocational

Abstract

This study investigated learning barriers at a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college in Limpopo Province. Students are experiencing different learning barriers that contribute to the high failure rates. Several research studies on barriers to learning have been conducted at the school level. The aim and four objectives guided the study. Four research questions were answered. A qualitative research design, a case study and an interpretivism paradigm were used. Purposive sampling was used to select research participants. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems and Schlosberg's transition theories were used to undergird the study. Two data collection tools were used to collect data. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged from the data. Different challenges experienced by the students and solutions to mitigate the learning barriers are discussed. The following are some of the findings of the study: There are challenges relating to the TVET college education system, which are a result of the former apartheid regime and its policies. TVET college lecturers are not trained to teach students without a Grade 12 certificate and students with disabilities. This study cannot be used to generalise the challenges of learning barriers in all the TVET colleges in South Africa, because it is case-specific. The study contributes to the discourse on TVET student support and inclusivity in teaching and learning. Therefore, a larger research study should be conducted in all the TVET colleges in South Africa that investigates the learning barriers of students.

Nyakišišo ye e nyakišišitše mapheko a go ithuta kholetšheng ya TVET ka Limpopo. Baithuti ba itemogela mapheko a go fapana a go ithuta, ao a tlaleletšago go ditekanyo tše di phagamego tša go palelwa. Dinyakišišo tše mmalwa ka ga mapheko a go ithuta di dirilwe maemong a sekolo. Maikemišetšo le maikemišetšo a mane di ile tša hlahla thuto. Go ile gwa arabja dipotšišo tše nne tša nyakišišo. Go šomišitšwe tlhamo ya nyakišišo ya boleng, nyakišišo ya mohlala le mohlala wa tlhathollo. Go šomišitšwe go tšea mehlala ka nepo go kgetha batšwasehlabelo ba nyakišišo. Ditshepedišo tša tswalano ya diphedi le tikologo ya tšona tša Bronfenbrenner’s le dithuto tša phetogo tša Schlosberg di ile tša dirišwa go thekga nyakišišo ye. Didirišwa tše pedi tša go kgoboketša datha di ile tša šomišwa go kgoboketša datha. Data e ile ya sekaseka ka go šomiša tshekatsheko ya sererwa. Dihlogo tše hlano di tšweletše go tšwa go datha. Go ahlaahlwa ditlhohlo tše di fapanego tšeo baithuti ba itemogetšego tšona le ditharollo tša go fokotša mapheko a go ithuta. Tše di latelago ke tše dingwe tša dikhwetšo tša nyakišišo ye: Go na le ditlhohlo tšeo di amanago le tshepedišo ya thuto ya kholetšheng ya TVET, tšeo e lego ditlamorago tša mmušo wa peleng wa kgethollo le melawana ya wona. Bafahloši ba kholetšheng ya TVET ga se ba tlwaetšwa go ruta baithuti bao ba se nago Mphato wa 12 le baithuti bao ba golofetšego. Thuto ye e ka se šomišwe go akaretša ditlhohlo tša mapheko a go ithuta ka dikholetšheng ka moka tša TVET ka Afrika Borwa, ka gobane e lebane le melato ye e itšego. Thuto e tsenya letsogo dipoledišanong mabapi le thekgo ya baithuti ba TVET le go akaretša bohle go ruteng le go ithuta. Ka fao, nyakišišo ye kgolo ya nyakišišo e swanetše go dirwa ka dikholetšheng ka moka tša TVET ka Afrika Borwa yeo e nyakišišago mapheko a go ithuta a baithuti.