ingredients for successful curriculum delivery. Furthermore, Orstein and Huskins (2004) aver that time is a valuable and non-renewable resource which must be economically managed to yield positive results. In support of the above scholars, Orland-Barak and Yinon (2007b) posit that the more time spent by both students and lecturers inter-acting educationally, the better the curriculum delivery and results become. Therefore, effective time management and the distribution across curriculum activities is essential. In the context of the above, this section intends to explore time as a resource, and how it has been allocated in similar programmes to ES&C NQF L4; how time is allocated for dual-content (ES&C NQF L4).
The closest international model to ES&C NQF L4, is the Electrician NSQF L4 competence based curriculum sourced from the Indian qualifications (Directorate General Training India, 2015). This qualification is under the Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) and the course duration is 24 months spread across four semesters. This competence/horizontal programme is made of five outcome statements stemming from five domains namely: (1) Process; (2) Professional Skills; (3) Professional Knowledge; (4) Core Skills and lastly (5) Responsibility (Directorate General Training India, 2015). The literature reveals that the total time spread each week on these five domains is 40 hrs. Therefore for purposes of this study, our focus will be on how time is spread across Professional Knowledge (theory) and Professional Skills (trade practical). According to the literature, twenty-five hours (25) is allocated to the Professional skills (trade practical) and six hours (6) allocated to Professional knowledge (theory) per week and the remaining nine hours is spread among the other three domains. This implies that the time spread is an 80:20, practical to theory ratio. Lecturers need more time to spend with students on practical training to develop skills (how) and values (why) in order to be employable.The Indian model seems to be well structured in terms of time allocation as well as guidance to theory and practical scope. The following paragraph will explore how time is spread across different topics of the ES&C NQF L4.
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The ES&C NQF L4 is a twenty credit (200 Notional Hours) programme made of six (6) subject outcomes or topics. The ES&C NQF L4 subject is a dual-content which is supposed to be 40:60 theory/practical, implying that 40% of time allocation should be dedicated to theory and 60% dedicated to practical component. According to ES&C NQF L4 subject guidelines, time allocation to different topics is as following:
Table 3.2: Time allocation across Electrical Systems and Construction subject topics ITEM No TOPIC WEIGHT (%) TEACHING HOURS NUMBER OF LO THEORY & PRACTICAL 1 Electrical Infrastructure 20 22 7 Theory only 2 Construction of a three-
phase circuit
15 16 6 Theory +
Practical 3 Construction of a three-
phase medium voltage overhead supply to domestic houses 15 17 10 Theory + Practical 4 Inspection of a three- phase industrial/commercial installation 20 22 7 Theory + practical 5 Fault-finding and maintenance of three- phase voltage electric circuits
15 16 12 Theory +
Practical
6 Renewable energy system 15 17 22 Theory +
Practical 110 hrs pa
(Taken from ES&C NQF L4 subject guideline)
The above content seeks to highlight time distribution across topics, number of learning outcomes (LO) and the content (Theory + Practical). The face-to-face minimum teaching hours’ guide provided by ES&C NQF L4 does not separate time spent on practical modules and knowledge modules. Furthermore, no provision is made for educational excursions to accommodate electrical infrastructure topic which covers electrical generation, power transmission and other complex hard-ware found in power-substations. In addition to the above, the time allocated (110 hrs pa) exclude internal and external assessment times, integrated summative assessment (ISAT), and computer lab attendance to explore web-sites (e- learning) areas recommended in the textbook. Recovery time for assessment of students who could not write ICASS is also not clarified. The practical training time-table should at least take the whole day rather than hours within a day. More time is required to organise tools
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for students at the beginning as well as when returning tools, equipment and cleaning at the end of training. The instructor also needs time to do stock-taking of both tools and training facilities. Moreover, the instructor needs time to procure stock and planning. The failure to have tools, material and equipment may result to poor training. Lectures teaching ES&C NQF L4 require critical reflections to explore time allocation spread between theory and practical. These reflections may empower lecturers to be proactive in finding curriculum delivery related solutions.
Time-table scheduling seems to provide guidance to students and lecturers regarding when and where a particular subject is facilitated. The issues of educational excursions, site visits and computer lab access for e-learning learning requires separate time plan which may be developed by both the lecturers and the campus management of the TVET College or the involvement of the academic board subcommittee. In conclusion, time remains being the key component of curriculum delivery to achieve the TVET College mandate as positioned by NCV Policy 2006. Therefore, proper planning as to how time is allocated effectively to cover both theory and practical, will require the TVET College academic board provide guidance and this should not be done in the exclusion of lecturers and students leadership. Access to education and training has become a concern for the South Africans especially among the underprivileged community and therefore, the following paragraphs will explore accessibility.