The Prevailing Views of the Buffalo City College Merging on Managers and Educators

Abstract

Post-1994 Public Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges, formerly known as Technical Colleges, were faced with the consequences of the merger process. One of the merger challenges was the resources provided to the merged institutions as there was an insufficient amount of money to run successful programmes. The study aims to explore the views prevailing from the operational plans and working conditions of managers and educators in Buffalo City College (BCC). To achieve the aim, a qualitative case study approach was employed, where interviews were used for data collection in the BCC campuses. It was discovered that the merger policies were not properly addressed as according to the FET Act no. 16 of 2006. This led to some educators not choosing to work for the College Council. Furthermore, some had grievances of accountability issues that were escalated from the College Council to the Department of Education at provincial level. Senior managers were retained under the Department of Education while other employees were appointed by the College Council. Salaries influenced decision on other educators to leave the College for industrial sector. It is recommended that the college should apply the FET Act to formulate credible and transparent policies for effective and efficient operations.