Developmental TVET rhetoric in-action: the White Paper for post-school education and training in South Africa

This paper explores the extent to which latest developments in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training System in South Africa respond to key principles espoused for a developmental, democratic and inclusionary ideal. The White Paper for post school education and training approved by Cabinet in November, 2013 is referred to by the Minister as the “definitive statement of the governments vision for the post school system” and as such represents a crucial strategy document intended to chart the TVET direction to 2030. Using key theoretical constructs from development theory, this paper provides an assessment of the TVET strategy contained is the paper and explores the extent to which it does respond to the agenda defined by the promise. It is argued that the challenges outlined are not yet able to provide the blueprint for a TVET transformative vision. It is concluded that while the development rhetoric contained in the paper is plausible, the creative tinkering of the system is unlikely to lead to the radical revisioning necessary for a truly transformative TVET system. The underlying assumptions regarding purpose, impact and outcome will need to be carefully reconsidered if the system is to be responsive to the promises of the democratic developmental ideal to which the government is committed. (DIPF/Orig.)

Freie Schulwahl und staatliche Steuerung. Neue Regelungen des Übergangs an weiterführende Schulen

In dem vorliegenden Beitrag werden neuere schulgesetzliche Initiativen erörtert, die u.a. eine Reform des Übertritts aus der Grundschule an weiterführende Schulen beabsichtigen. Diese Bemühungen ordnen sich in die schon lange zu beobachtende Tendenz zur Stärkung der individuellen Rechte von Schülern und Eltern ein, wie sie mit dem Prozeß der Verrechtlichung der Schule in der Bundesrepublik verbunden ist. Eine genauere Betrachtung der entsprechenden Regelungen und einiger dadurch ausgelöster gerichtlicher Konflikte weckt allerdings Zweifel an Voraussetzungen und insbesondere an Ergebnissen der eingeleiteten Politik: Handelt es sich nicht doch um eine versteckte Form der staatlichen Steuerung der Schulwahl? (DIPF/Orig.)

Governing the transition to higher levels of education and differences between achievement and school grades by gender

The author will explore the performance of boys and girls in external examinations in Slovenia at the beginning of upper secondary and tertiary education. These are critical points in students’ educational career at which he/she has to choose a school/university. Since both transitions are managed centrally by appropriate authorities, this is also a question of Educational Governance. Transitions between levels of education should, above all, assure fairness in selection procedures. At the point of transition to upper secondary schools we will explore differences between students’ achievements in various school subjects tested at the national assessment of knowledge (NA), and their school grades by gender. Since only school grades are used as admission criteria to upper secondary schools, this comparison of school grades with external and more objective measure of students’ achievement will show possible bias. In Slovenia admission to tertiary education usually consists of (externally assessed) Matura results and school grades in the last two years of upper secondary school. The author will compare the effects of both most commonly used measures of academic achievement on admission in view of gender differences. Study courses where selection procedure was actually applied will be of specific interest since they can show signs of (un)fairness. Results show signs of bias and build case for better Educational Governance. (DIPF/Orig.)

Entwicklungswege Jugendlicher zwischen Transition und Moratorium

Bisher stehen sich in der deutschen Jugendforschung mit dem Transitions- und Moratoriumsgedanken zwei Konzepte zur Beschreibung der Jugendphase gegenüber, deren ergänzender Charakter bisher kaum Beachtung gefunden hat. Um eine Verknüpfung leisten zu können, sollen beide Auffassungen von Jugend kurz skizziert und in die Beschreibung einer Typologie jugendlicher Entwicklungswege überführt werden. Im zweiten Teil werden auf der Basis von Sekundäranalysen empirische Evidenzen aufgezeigt, die eine Vertiefung der theoretischen Herangehensweise aussichtsreich erscheinen lassen. (DIPF/Orig.)