Beroepsopleiding by tegniese kolleges vir Blankes tot 1975

Abstract

Chapter one outlines the purpose of this study which is aimed firstly, at indicating the historical development of vocational education at technical colleges until 1975; secondly, it is an endeavour to give a clear outline of the task and objectives of the technical colleges. Vocational education is defined as commercial, domestic science and technical education in any trade or industry, and as that form of education which trains the brain to assist the hands. An outline is given of the structural development of technical colleges in chapter two. The discussion is divided in periods, as follows: * The early beginnings until 1925. The first four big technical colleges originated in this period, namely in: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria, as well as a number of smaller technical colleges. * Technical colleges as integral part of the community, 1925-1967. The real value of technical colleges in the community were realised and as a result technical colleges flourished. * The period of divergence, 1967-1975. Colleges for Advanced Technical Education came into being and separated from technical colleges. Chapter three deals with control and judicial basis of vocational education. This is categorised in five periods, namely: * The period until 1910. This describes the first organised attempts to institute vocational education for Whites in the four colonies. The contributions of churches, commercial organisations, city councils and the Transvaal Chamber of Mines, in this respect, is emphasised. * A period of divided control over vocational education, 1910-1925. During this period vocational education was controlled by the four provinces and five different departments of state. * State Departmental control over vocational education, 1925-1955. This represents a period of central control over vocational education. * Control over and judicial basis of technical colleges as full Departmental institutions, 1955-1967. * The new dispensation of the termination of divided control over secondary education, 1968-1975. Three very important educational acts of 1967 came into operation during 1968. In chapter four a brief outline is given of curricula and examinations in technical colleges. Provision had to be made for courses ranging from standard six to tertiary level. A.R. Williams is quoted in saying that it is the proud boast of technical colleges that they can provide, at short notice, a course in practically any subject at any level. The importance of the curricula and the high quality of work produced is generally realised; the Joint Matriculation Board has already given recognition to the Departmental Senior Certificate in 1932, for exemption purposes. Matters relating specifically to student and teaching personnel are dealt with in chapter five. Attention is given to the matter, whether students with a prevocational training, will be better off with vocational training, than their colleagues with ordinary secondary education. Available data implies the contrary. As far as teacher training is concerned, all teacher training by the Department is in the process of being phased out, in compliance with the National Education Policy Act, 1967. Although it is not compulsory for teaching staff to have a teachers' qualification, the Department supplies bursaries and a year study leave, to enable persons, in this position, to obtain a teachers' diploma at university; at present also offered at Pretoria College for Advanced Technical Education for the workshop teachers' diploma only, but will also phase out in 1980. Chapter six gives a brief summary of the entire study.