Recipe of Poor Performance: Case of a Misaligned Organisational Architecture of a TVET Campus

The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the nature of the organisational architecture of a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) campus according to the perspectives of students in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Twenty-two students in a TVET campus were selected using purposive sampling and interviewed to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to deduce relevant themes. The results reveal that the organisational architecture of the TVET campus had a twin strategy of active learning and assessment-led teaching that was cardinal, but inadequate for the learning needs of students, and misaligned by unsupportive systems, distant and disconnected style of management to respond to student's problems, shortage of good lecturers and lack of critical resources. Predominantly, students who had already failed in their course were active in cultivating dropout behaviour and culture among peers. The absence of workplace learning by students was a significant gap in the organisational architecture. Critical changes in management style, systems, staff, resources, student peer relations, and reinforcement of workplace learning are imperative if the organisational architecture of the TVET campus is to be re-aligned and effective as a pathway to work for the South African youths.