Abstract
Abstract:The National Accredited Technical Education Diploma (NATED) tourism studies qualification in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges focuses on producing a skilled labour force for the South African tourism industry. The training programme aims at imparting both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required for employment in the tourism industry or entrance into institutions of higher education. The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate whether the NATED tourism studies curriculum in TVET colleges responds to the needs of the South African tourism industry. Interviews were used to gain insights from tourism employers, tourism lecturers, and NATED tourism graduates. Data from document analysis was used to interpret the findings from the interviews. The study found that tourism graduates exit TVET colleges with some skills, but not the most critical practical skills needed by the tourism industry. However, the findings indicated that some of the skills that employers highlighted as lacking were actually present in the NATED tourism syllabi. Further probing revealed a failure by TVET institutions to effectively translate the syllabi into classroom activities. Some discrepancies were identified as far as following syllabi instructions was concerned: the time allocated for workplace-based experiences, the contact time allocated for the subjects, practicals not being done as recommended, the failure to invite officials from industry as speakers, the failure to use the recommended teaching and learning resources, lecturers not establishing links with industry, and no compilation of the practical portfolio. Less time was allocated for certain subjects and lecturers did not go for work-integrated learning as recommended in the tourism syllabi. The study further revealed that teaching and learning emphasised theory at the expense of practical skills, but that employers from the different sectors of the tourism industry valued these practical skills more than theoretical knowledge. Moreover, the findings established that there was an absence of certain up-to-date knowledge areas from the tourism syllabi. The study therefore recommends a number of strategies for TVET colleges to improve their interpretation and implementation of the tourism curriculum.
M.Ed. (Curriculum Policy Evaluation)