Vocational Education Programme (VEP)

The goal of VEP is to partially fulfill CIPSET’s mission by undertaking work around various areas of work in order to:

  • Promotes an intellectual project that focuses on democracy, citizenship and social justice as central to PSET in South Africa.
  • Defines, develops and implements a research agenda that supports PSET in South Africa.
  • Establishes programmes and projects that support PSET in South Africa;
  • Collaborates with educational groups, institutions and agencies in order to develop and strengthen PSET;
  • Builds research capacity that advances the PSET system in South Africa;
  • Produces academic and scholarly work in PSET for social justice that reflects the intellectual project of CIPSET.

VEP Core Activities

Currently, the activities of the VEP revolve around the following focus areas:

Curriculum Innovation and Articulation Hub

The project’s focus is to form partnerships with TVET Colleges to facilitate providing admission routes and learning pathways for learners in multiple subject areas which will serve as mechanisms to aid the transition of FET College students into academic programmes offered at Nelson Mandela University. The development of the curricula will be accompanied by Nelson Mandela University's humanising pedagogical approach to learning and teaching. Emphasis will be placed on curriculum development that also supports rural development, sustainable livelihoods, socially useful work and the development of local

Qualifications and Capacity Development: AET and TVET Staff

The development of academic programmes for Adult Educators and TVET Lecturers, informed by a progressive philosophical orientation, working in various sectors of the PSET sector (FET Colleges, civil society including trade unions, CBOs and NGOs) is the key focus of the project. This project also focuses and support staff and leadership to enhance their knowledge and skills and thereby support these institutions in their quest to fulfill their expanded mandate of providing high quality education and training.

Emerging Voices II

This projet seeks to engage communities in creating a new vision for post-school education and training, including community education, adult education, TVET Colleges and higher education. It is designed to build a progressive network of researchers and community advocates and task this network with developing a new vision for post-school education which better meets the priorities and interests of all South Africans.

Students Leadership and Governance

This programme is focused on engaging student leadership within the broader PSET sector on role of student leaders in transforming the education and training landscape. The project aims to hold an annual convention to facilitate dialogue and research into student issues within the sector.