Exploring the value of the capability approach for vocational education and training evaluation: reflections from South Africa
In the late 1990s, South Africa was faced with the triple challenge of reforming the Apartheid divided institutional landscape of vocational education and training (VET) institutions; addressing equitable access to skills; and reorienting its skills development system to the nation’s insertion into...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
Institut de Hautes Etudes Internationales et du Developpement (Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies)
2014
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/31843/ |
| _version_ | 1848794283270733824 |
|---|---|
| author | Powell, Lesley McGrath, Simon |
| author_facet | Powell, Lesley McGrath, Simon |
| author_sort | Powell, Lesley |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | In the late 1990s, South Africa was faced with the triple challenge of reforming the Apartheid divided institutional landscape of vocational education and training (VET) institutions; addressing equitable access to skills; and reorienting its skills development system to the nation’s insertion into the global economy. A wave of institutional reforms was enacted and a large programme of evaluative research followed in its wake. Whilst this body of work was both valuable and necessary, as significant practitioners in this programme we can see several of its limitations. Thus, we counterpose an alternative approach to evaluation that draws on the insights of the capabilities approach. By putting the needs of people first – rather than the needs of the economy – the capability approach brings to the forefront of VET evaluation the importance of social justice, human rights, and poverty alleviation. Such an approach pays better attention to what individuals and institutions value and are seeking to do, whilst retaining the economic rationale as an important part of such analysis; and insisting on the continued salience of evaluation for the improvement of delivery and outcomes. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:13:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-31843 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:13:44Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | Institut de Hautes Etudes Internationales et du Developpement (Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies) |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-318432020-05-04T20:17:39Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/31843/ Exploring the value of the capability approach for vocational education and training evaluation: reflections from South Africa Powell, Lesley McGrath, Simon In the late 1990s, South Africa was faced with the triple challenge of reforming the Apartheid divided institutional landscape of vocational education and training (VET) institutions; addressing equitable access to skills; and reorienting its skills development system to the nation’s insertion into the global economy. A wave of institutional reforms was enacted and a large programme of evaluative research followed in its wake. Whilst this body of work was both valuable and necessary, as significant practitioners in this programme we can see several of its limitations. Thus, we counterpose an alternative approach to evaluation that draws on the insights of the capabilities approach. By putting the needs of people first – rather than the needs of the economy – the capability approach brings to the forefront of VET evaluation the importance of social justice, human rights, and poverty alleviation. Such an approach pays better attention to what individuals and institutions value and are seeking to do, whilst retaining the economic rationale as an important part of such analysis; and insisting on the continued salience of evaluation for the improvement of delivery and outcomes. Institut de Hautes Etudes Internationales et du Developpement (Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies) 2014 Article PeerReviewed Powell, Lesley and McGrath, Simon (2014) Exploring the value of the capability approach for vocational education and training evaluation: reflections from South Africa. International Development Policy, 5 (1). pp. 126-148. ISSN 1663-9391 Vocational Education and Training (VET) evaluation capabilities approach skills development South Africa Further Education and Training (FET) colleges http://poldev.revues.org/1784 doi:10.4000/poldev.1784 doi:10.4000/poldev.1784 |
| spellingShingle | Vocational Education and Training (VET) evaluation capabilities approach skills development South Africa Further Education and Training (FET) colleges Powell, Lesley McGrath, Simon Exploring the value of the capability approach for vocational education and training evaluation: reflections from South Africa |
| title | Exploring the value of the capability approach for vocational education and training evaluation: reflections from South Africa |
| title_full | Exploring the value of the capability approach for vocational education and training evaluation: reflections from South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the value of the capability approach for vocational education and training evaluation: reflections from South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the value of the capability approach for vocational education and training evaluation: reflections from South Africa |
| title_short | Exploring the value of the capability approach for vocational education and training evaluation: reflections from South Africa |
| title_sort | exploring the value of the capability approach for vocational education and training evaluation: reflections from south africa |
| topic | Vocational Education and Training (VET) evaluation capabilities approach skills development South Africa Further Education and Training (FET) colleges |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/31843/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/31843/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/31843/ |