Abstract
M.Ed.
Significant and far-reaching changes have taken place in education and
training policy in recent years in South Africa. These include in particular the
implementation of the Further Education and Training Act 98 of 1998 that
frames the legislative context for future Further Education and Training (FET)
institutions by prescribing the establishment and or merging of previously
separate institutions.
This research focuses on Further Education and Training colleges, previously
referred to as Technical Colleges. At the time of this research certain aspects
of the merging of institutions have taken place while important other aspects,
such as the appointment of a new overall principal for the college have not yet
occurred.
Further Education and Training Colleges, through the implementation of the
Further Education and Training Act, underwent large-scale system wide
change as organisations. Because educational organisations are conservative
by nature, they tend to actively resist the implementation of the change
process. Educational organisations in turn consist of individuals. Sources of
resistance in individuals reside in human characteristics such as perceptions,
personalities and needs. Not all resistance to change should, however, be
viewed as negative.
By investigating staff's perceptions through a structured questionnaire at
Further Education and Training institutions regarding the implementation of
the change process taking place, facilitating and inhibiting forces involved in
the implementation process could be identified. This in turn assisted in finding
answers to the research questions and providing recommendations to
managers responsible for implementing the change process