Success and Challenges: The Candidate Perspective

The greatest success noted by all of the candidates interviewed was their acceptance into the programme they were applying for. Most noted pride and affirmation of self worth through being selected, but also of entering an institution of higher education.

Jay: Was it difficult for you to come to the university as a student? Tracey: Yes, because all the time I thought I have no brains for this. Jay: So you are proving yourself wrong?

Tracey: Yes

Most of the candidates also boasted of the effects this had had on family and friends. They felt more respected in their communities. The mothers interviewed noted the effect this had had on their children, whom they felt now had a greater interest in higher education studies:

Jay: How did you feel about coming to Fort Hare? Coming to a university, did that concern you?

Elsie: Eh! I feel very happy, because it is a great honour to be in a university, you know? [Laughter] Even to my kids, I am like ‘you know I am at university’. It’s very great.

The MPA candidates praised their lecturers and peers on the programme for not treating them differently. They did not feel marginalised. They also spoke about keeping up with their peers in terms of academic achievement.

Jay: Regarding the lecturers, they are not treating you any differently?

John: No, maybe there is something I am not doing, but in assignments we are doing I am also performing well, better than my colleagues. I am just like everyone else.

Jay: Now that you have embarked on your studies, do you feel you would have benefited from other support, being new to formal education?

Gary: I have not been treated differently, and there has always been an atmosphere where I feel that if I needed additional support, then I could have asked. I appreciate being left alone, and I think this is important for a Masters level. I did fear that everyone knew I

was an RPL candidate and I do not make it, but fortunately I have done well.

One RPL candidate on the MPA programme spoke of how the MPA programme played an important role in other personal successes:

Jay: How are you finding the Masters programme, having not been exposed to formal education – has that hindered you?

Gary: No, actually when I started I was intimidated. I wrote a book to get myself into the writing11.

As working adults, candidates spoke of how much their courses had impacted their personal and professional development, through, amongst others, new ways of thinking, and valuing relationships.

Jay: What do you like about this course?

Tracey: It is broadened my mind, it err teaches me new methods of teaching, it involves parents as well as children, it promotes quality schools.

Gary: Now, I walked into the Masters thinking I need a piece of paper, as everyone says you’re okay practically, but you need this piece of paper. So my whole thinking was of this piece of paper. But I spoke to Margaret and I was saying to her that at the end of the programme I realised that I actually learnt a hell of a lot, I’ve learnt a lot. It does transform your thinking. It really moulds you.

The main challenge that most candidates identified was finding out about RPL as an access route to the programme. In particular they noted the lack of advertising or promotional material that they could access.

As mentioned above, candidates also spoke of time as a challenge: time to complete their portfolios of evidence; the time taken to receive results; and generally the time they had to find, as working adults, for their studies.

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The candidate has since published a further three books, two relating to the business sector and two of which are personal reflections on life during the apartheid era and maintaining marital relationships.

I asked candidates what they felt about the assessment method (predominately

portfolios of evidence) that had been used to assess their prior learning. The

BEd students had no objection. They felt that their portfolios contained variety: assignments, personal reflections and evidence of learning together with an interview. The MPA candidates, however, felt that more than one method of assessment should be used. They felt that for some aspects of their portfolio, suitable methods, such as a test or interview, could have been used.

I also referred candidates to the transformational agenda associated with RPL, and asked why they felt there had been no ‘big bang’ reaction to RPL, both from an institutional perspective of promoting RPL as well as a groundswell support from the general public:

Gary: RPL is not going to work in South Africa. It is still exclusionist, elitist and I can see universities cherry pick those who would get through. It’s not fair. Also the work required for RPL means that you could be burnt out before you start the course.12

Gary’s comment about being ‘burnt out’ was particular to his circumstance. He was afforded little time to complete the portfolio of evidence, as the course he was applying for was about to begin. However, his point should not be overlooked. The perceptions of RPL candidates are an important aspect of RPL which has often been disregarded. This was the first opportunity for UFH candidates to provide feedback on their experiences of the RPL process.