ENHANCING LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE: KWAZULU-NATAL TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING COLLEGES

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges are central to addressing unemployment and skills shortages in South Africa, as they are mandated to deliver practical, skills-oriented education. Despite their importance, the sector faces substantial challenges that hinder effective management, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, which houses the highest number of TVET colleges in the country. Therefore, this study investigated the challenges in linking management and leadership within KwaZulu-Natal TVET colleges and evaluated the effectiveness of support measures implemented to enhance management practices. This study employed a mixed-methods research approach, utilizing structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect data from 3600 academic and management staff across nine public TVET colleges in KwaZulu-Natal. The collected data were analysed through content analysis, complemented by statistical analysis using SPSS. The study revealed significant disparities in leadership effectiveness and managerial coordination across TVET colleges, with systemic inefficiencies, fragmented governance structures, and a lack of formal managerial training hindering institutional cohesion and operational success. Additionally, while support measures such as Quality Management Systems (QMS), leadership training, and staff development initiatives have been introduced, their inconsistent implementation, coupled with resource constraints and delays in policy execution, limits their overall effectiveness in enhancing management practices within TVET colleges. It was recommended that institutions implement structured management training programs and review them every two years to assess their effectiveness in improving leadership capacity and institutional cohesion. Furthermore, institutions should establish continuous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure leadership development programs, policy implementation, and resource allocation strategies are consistently applied and improved to meet institutional needs.