Technikon Explained

A technikon was a post-secondary institute of technology (polytech) in South Africa. It focused on career-oriented vocational training.[1] There were 15 technikons in the 1990s, but they were merged or restructured as universities (especially universities of technology) in the early 2000s.

Etymology

The word comes from the Greek, meaning ‘technical’.[2] [3] (cf. Some technical schools were called technikums elsewhere in the world.)

List of technikons

Institute Existence Now
Border Technikon
Ciskei Technikon, 1980s
1987–2005 Walter Sisulu University
Cape Technikon
Afrikaans: Kaapse Technikon
1920–2005
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Eastern Cape Technikon
← Transkei Technikon
1991–2005 Walter Sisulu University
Peninsula Technikon 1962-2005
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Port Elizabeth Technikon
(PE Technikon)
1882–2005
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Technikon Pretoria 1968–2004
Tshwane University of Technology
1907–2002
Durban Institute of Technology
Technikon North-West
← Setlogelo Technikon, 1994–97
1976–2004
Tshwane University of Technology
Technikon Northern Gauteng
← Technikon Northern Transvaal, –1997
1980–2004 Tshwane University of Technology
Technikon SA
(Technikon South Africa)
← Technikon RSA, 1980–93
1980–2004 University of South Africa
Technikon Free State
Afrikaans: Technikon Vrystaat, 1994-2004
← Technikon OFS / Afrikaans: {{abbr|OVS|Oranje-Vrystaat, 1988-1994
1988?–2004 Central University of Technology
1946–2002
Durban Institute of Technology
Mangosuthu Technikon 1979–2001 Mangosuthu University of Technology
Vaal Triangle Technikon
Afrikaans: Vaaldriehoekse Technikon
1966–2003
Vaal University of Technology
1923–2005
University of Johannesburg

In some sources, certain school names were reversed, e.g., Technikon Pretoria or Pretoria Technikon. Likewise, Witwatersrand Technikon or Technikon Witwatersrand; Natal Technikon or Technikon Natal; Free State Technikon or Technikon Free State.

History

Some technical colleges were founded in the early to mid-20th century in the country. In 1967, four technical colleges (Cape, Pretoria, Witwatersrand and Natal) became "colleges of advanced technical education". Two more such colleges (Vaal and Witwatersrand) were added by 1969. These six colleges became the first technikons in 1979.

In the 1980s and 1990s, 9 more technikons were constituted, bringing up the total to 15.

Compared to universities, technikons were not seen as prestigious. The Committee of Technikon Principals felt that "the name technikon had become a stumbling block", as their graduates were not recognized by professional associations, especially internationally.[4]

Mergers and reorganisations were announced in 2002, drastically reducing the number of technikons.[5] By 2006, after a process to transform the nation’s "higher education landscape", there were no technikons left.

Student compositions

During Apartheid, the schools were divided into historically white technikons (HWTs) and historically black technikons (HBTs). The seven white technikons include the 'big four' (Cape, Pretoria, Witwatersrand and Natal), which had the most students (6000–11000 in 1991). The other white technikons were Free State, Port Elizabeth, and Vaal Triangle. SA was for distance learning, with a slight majority of whites.[6] [7]

Northern Gauteng and Mangosuthu were black technikons. Peninsula was classified as a, but it was mostly attended by Coloureds. ML Sultan was also nominally a HBT, but was mostly attended by Indians.[6]

Three technikons were created in bantustans; these had the lowest enrollments: Border (Ciskei), Eastern Cape (Transkei), and North-West (initially named Setlogelo; in Bophuthatswana).[6]

Degrees

In 1993, the Technikon Act (No. 125) enabled technikons to provide degree studies and confer degrees. Several technikon programmes were possible:

White technikons and ML Sultan Technikon offered degrees at all three levels (bachelor’s, master’s and doctorates), but others did not.[10]

References

The years for some older school names are from:

Notes and References

  1. Book: Nico Cloete. Richard Fehnel. Peter Maassen. Transformation in Higher Education. 2006. Taylor & Francis. 978-1-4020-4005-4. 47. The intellectual agendas of these […] black technikons was similar to those of the historically white technikons. […] vocational training programmes […] They undertook no research and offered little by way of postgraduate training..
  2. Book: Alan Pittendrigh. Technikons in South Africa. 1988. Building Industries Federation. 978-0-620-13170-4. 194. After due consideration and consultation the name technikon was proposed, a name which was derived from the Greek and goes back to the masculine form of the Greek adjective technikos, of which the feminine form is technike ... .
  3. Web site: Definition of technikon . https://web.archive.org/web/20210128221306/https://www.lexico.com/definition/technikon . dead . January 28, 2021 . Oxford Dictionary on Lexico . en . Greek, noun use of the neuter of ‘relating to skills’..
  4. Book: Rupert Maclean. International Handbook of Education for the Changing World of Work. 2009. Springer Science. 978-1-4020-5281-1. 972 . Among the problems listed [by the principals] were that technikons were seen as inferior to universities, [… recognition issues], and that technikons were seen as a second or third choice after universities..
  5. Book: Neil Garrod. Challenging Boundaries. 2009. Routledge. 978-1-135-85822-3. 131. The restructured system [announced in Dec. 2002] would consist of twenty-four institutions, consisting of eleven universities, six comprehensive universities, five technikons, and two higher education institutes in provinces without a higher education institution (Council on Higher Education 2004: 39–58)..
  6. Web site: Cooper . Dave . What do South African technikons do? . 1994.
  7. Book: Keith Harry. Higher Education Through Open and Distance Learning. 11 September 2002. Routledge. 978-1-134-64144-4. 102. Technikon SA was established an autonomous tertiary education institution in 1980, prior to which it had functioned as the external studies facilities of the Technikon Witwatersrand..
  8. Book: Neil Garrod. Bruce Macfarlane. Challenging Boundaries. 2009. Routledge. 978-1-135-85822-3. 129.
  9. Book: OECD. Reviews of National Policies for Education. 2008. 978-92-64-05352-6. 334. OECD .
  10. Book: Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela. Kimberly Lenease King. Apartheid No More. 2001. Greenwood . 978-0-89789-713-6. 143.