Governance and Management

Chapter 3 of the Further Education and Training Act 16 of 2006 speaks to the governance of public colleges.

The Bill in its totality:

• provides for the regulation of further education and training;
• provides for the establishment, governance and funding of public further education and training colleges;
• provides for the employment of staff at public further education and training colleges;
• provides for the registration of private further education and training colleges;
• provides for the promotion of quality in further education and training;
• provides for transitional arrangements and the repeal of laws; and
• provides for matters connected therewith.

In short:

The Act deals with:

• Further Education and Training Colleges
• How they must operate
• Appoint and manage management staff, lecturers and support staff
• The funding of Colleges
• The promotion of quality and the
• Governance of Colleges

The Act is very specific when it comes to governance of Colleges and addresses issues and gives guidance to:

• Public college governance structures
• Council of public colleges
• Academic Board of public colleges
• Committees of council and academic board
• Principal of public college
• Student Representative Council
• Disciplinary measures
• Prohibition of corporal punishment and initiation practices
• Admission policy of public college
• Standard college statute

The Bill provides for the:

• Establishment of a national coordinated further education and training system which promotes cooperative governance and provides for programme-based vocational and occupational training;
• Restructuring and transformation of programmes and colleges to respond better to the human resources, economic and development needs of the country;
• Redressing of past discrimination and ensure representivity and equal access;
• Ensuring access to further education and training and the workplace by persons who have been marginalised in the past, such as women, the disabled and the disadvantaged;
• Provision of optimal opportunities for learning, the creation of knowledge and the development of intermediate to high level skills in keeping with international standards of academic and technical quality;
• Promoting the values which underlie an open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom;
• Advancement of strategic priorities determined by national policy objectives as all levels of governance and management within the further education and training sector;
• Respecting and encouragement of democracy and foster a collegial culture which promotes fundamental human rights and creates an appropriate environment for teaching and learning;
• Pursue excellence, and promote the full realisation of the potential of every student and member of staff, tolerance of ideas and appreciation of diversity;
• Response to the needs of the country, the labour market and the communities served by the colleges; and
• Complement the National Skills Development Strategy in cooperation with the department of Labour.