Access, Participation and Success: The Tri-Dimensional Conundrum of Academic Outcomes in a South African TVET College

This study sought to unravel academic factors which influence access, participation and success in a South African technical, vocational, education and training (TVET) college. The research questions which guided this research paper were as follows: What are students’ experiences of access, participation and success in the context of one South African TVET college? How do students navigate the contextual dynamics that affect access, participation and success? A qualitative research design was used to investigate academic factors which impede or promote access, participation and success in the TVET College. An interview schedule was used to generate data which would highlight the participants’ experiences of access, participation and success in the TVET College. An analysis of the reasons why students experience challenges in their academic performance in the college revealed that the under-preparedness of students for the TVET curriculum, the language of instruction, academic support programmes in the college, provision of educational resources assessment approaches had negative and/or positive influences on access, participation and success in the TVET college.