Higher education policies and institutional theological education needs: a practical theological exploration with specific references to private theological institutions in South Africa

Abstract

Theological education and training (TET) are core to the mission of the Church. What is critical and central to this thesis is how this noble task is carried out by the Church in light of the Higher Education Act, no 101 of 1997 (the Act) in the current post-apartheid South African context. TET has been substantially transformed by many factors􀂲chief amongst them, accreditation and all the other developments that stream from it. Through its agency, the Council on Higher Education (CHE), the State aims to bring all higher education and training programs under the same quality standards. The reformations brought about by the Act, to the higher education sector, impacts TET in both private and public theological institutions. This thesis spotlights the recognition and accreditation of qualifications in terms of Church ministry and the spiritual development of the Church minister to further explore the historical and current impact of the CHE on operating Private Theological Institutions (PTIs) since the introduction of the Act. This Practical Theological study describes the nature of the relationship between the CHE policies and PTIs in South Africa. Employing the interpretivist philosophical paradigm, a multi-site case study research design was incorporated. In this enquiry, 16 participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide to obtain in-depth information. These participants were intentionally selected between both accredited and unaccredited institutions. Their views were recorded, transcribed, processed, and analysed through thematic analysis using the COSTA QDA Technique on webQDA cloud computing qualitative data analysis software. Finally, the study culminates in three themes: firstly, PTIs' perceptions of CHE Policies regarding accreditation and standardisation are underpinned by fundamental and systematic epistemologies rooted in theological educational constructs; secondly, PTIs' existential proposition is primarily polarised by ontological perspectives inherent in advancing ecclesial purposes, while at the same time premised on distrust pointed towards CHE Policies; and thirdly, PTIs view quality assurance, control, and corroboration as essential and a parallel exercise to prescripts that regulate higher education. An African transformative, critical reflexive praxis for change is recommended based on an effective quality standard TET model.

Imfundo kwakunye noQeqesho ngezaZakwalizwi zisisisekelo somsebenzi we Bandla lika Thixo. Isisekelo sesifundo kwakunye nophando-nzulu kukubhenca-bhenca nokubeka elubala ukuba iNkonzo kaThixo ingayidlala njani na lendima ibaluleke kangaka ngendlela enesidima nesizothozela ezingqamene zibe zingqinelana ngengcaciso equlathwe nguMthetho weMfundo ePhakamileyo wekhulu elinanye (101) woMnyaka weWaka elinamakhulu asithoba namashumi asithoba anesixhenxe (1997). Lomthetho uyinxalenye yemithetho yelizwe loMzantsi Afrika, ochasene nocalucalulo. Imfundo noqeqesho kwezakwaLizwi echatshazelwe yaye inayo nenguquko ngenxa yeemeko zabumini ezithe vetshe - ingakumbi ukuvunywa ngokusemthethweni kweminye imiqathango engqamene noko. Ngokusebenzisa iBhunga leMfundo ePhakamileyo njengeZiko eliququzelela ezeMfundo, uRhulumente unenjongo zokuba zonke iinkqubo zemfundo ephakamileyo noqeqesho zibe mgangatho mnye. Uhlenga-hlengiso oluvela kuMthetho weMfundo ePhakamileyo weKhulu elinanye (101) woMnyaka weWaka elinamaKhulu asiThoba namaShumi asiThoba anesixhenxe (1997), lunegalelo elinifuthe kumaZiko emfundo, ingakumbi amaziko ezakwaLizwi angoozimele-geqe (abucala), kwakunye nalawo esabenza nqo phantsi kwenkqubo zolawulo luka Rhulumente. Esi sifundo, sibeka elubala ukuvunywa nokuvunywa kwezidanga, ngokweBandla, uphuhliso lwesimmoya kwakunye nokuchubeka koMfundisi Lizwi. Injongo ibe ikuku phanda nzulu indima edlalwe ibe isadlalwa liziko lemfundo ephakamileyo kwizifundo zakwaLizwi. Olu phononongo lwezeNzululwazi ngezenkolo, lwenza ingcaciso ethe vetshe ngobudlelwane obukhoyo phakathi kweBhunga lweMigaqo-nkqubo yeMfundo ePhakamileyo kunye namaziko oQeqesho azimele bucala kweli lizwe lingu Mzantsi Afrika. Olu phononongo lusebenzisa ubuchwephesha bengqondo obusiseko notoliko lolwazi (Interpretivist philosophical paradigm ), ukunabisa uphando oluntlandlo nankalo zonke. Koluphando kuye kwenziwa udliwano-ndlebe olunzulu nabathabathi-nxaxheba abalishumi elinesithandathu (16) ngenjongo yokufumana ulwazi oluphangaleleyo. Imfundo yabo eziqu ziliqela, kwakunye namava abo aphangaleleyo, aye asengelwa ethungeni, thunga elo lutyebise esisifundo. Aba bathathi-nxaxheba bakhethwe ngabom, kuba bengoompondo zihlanjiwe, phakathi kwamaziko avunywe ngokusesikweni kwakunye nazimele geqe. Izimvo zabo ziye zashicelelwa, zaphononongwa kwaye zahlalutywa kusetyenziswa ubuchwepheshe bolwazi obaziwa njenge -COSTA QDA kuxwebhu lwezengcingo iQDA (webQDA) equlunqelwe uphonononga nokuhlalutya ulwazi. Oluphononongo lushwankathela ngemixholo emithathu: okokuqala, iimbono zamaziko oQeqesho abucala malunga neMigaqo-nkqubo yeBhunga leMfundo ePhakamileyo (CHE) engqamene nokuvunywa ngokusesikweni nokusemthethweni ukungqanyaniswa kwemigangatho exhaswa lucwangciso lobunzululwazi obusekeliswe kwimfundo yakwaLizwi. Okwesibini, isindululo sobukho bamaziko oQeqesho abucala ubukhulu becala buntlandlombini phakathi kokunqwenela ukuqhubela phambili iNkonzo kaLizwi nokungaqinimnqwazi okanye ukukrokrela ubuqhophololo ngemigaqo-nkqubo yeBhunga leMfundo ePhakamileyo . Okwesithathu, amaziko oQeqesho abucala agxininise kumgangatho, ulawulo, nokungqinelana njengezinto ezibalulekileyo ngokunokwazo kumgaqo-nkqubo wolawulo lweMfundo ePhakamileyo. Imiphumela yoluphando-nzulu isekubeni lucebisa ukuba kuphononongwe indlela inkqubo yenguqu esekelwe kumgangatho ophakamileyo weZifundo noQeqesho nge zakwaLizwi

Thuta-Modimo le Katiso ke konokono ya tiro ya borongwa jwa Kereke. Lebaka- legolo le ntlha-kgolo ya patlisiso e, ke manontlhotlho a tiro ya Kereke go ya ka molawana wa Thuto e Kgolwane ya 101 ya ngwaga wa 1997 mo nakong ya puso e ntshwa eseng ole wa maloba wa tlhaolele mo Aforika Borwa. Thuta-Modimo le katiso e tsamaile mo diphetogong tse di mmalwa 􀂱 e e kwa setlhoeng sa diphetogo tse ke ikwadiso le dikatlanegiso tsa teng tse di maleba. Ka go dirisa Lekgotla la Thuto e Kgolwane, puso e ikaelela go lolamisa thuto e kgolwane le katiso ka fa tlase ga maemo a a nang le boleng jo bo nonofileng. Dintshafatso tse di tlisitsweng ke Molawana wa Thuto e Kgolwane, 101 ya ngwaga wa 1997, mo lefapheng la thuto e kgolwane, le tlhotlheletsa Thuta-Modimo le katiso mo ditheokatisong tsa poraefete le tsa puso. Ntlha-kgolo ya patlisiso e, ke go senolela kamogelo le ikwadiso ya borutegi jwa tirelo ya Kereke le tsweletso ya semowa go Moruti wa Phuthego ka maikaelelo a go batlisisa tshusumetso ya Lekgotla la Thuto e Kgolwane mo katlanegisong ya Ditheo-thuto tsa Poraefete go simologa ka nako ya tiriso ya Molawana o. Thuta-Modimo ya Tiragatso e, e tlhalosa seemo sa kamano ya melawana fa gare ga Lekgotla la Thuto e Kgolwane le ditheo-katiso tsa Poraefete tsa Thuto e Kgolwane mo Aforika Borwa. Ka go dirisa mokgwa wa tharabololo ya bonokopela (Interpretivist philosophical paradigm ), patlisiso e dirilwe mo mafelong a a farologaneng. Mo patlisisong e, batsaya-karolo ba le some le borataro (16) ba ne ba botsolotswa ka mokgwa wa tlhamalalo go fitlhelela tshedimosetso e e boteng. Batsaya-karolo ba, ba tlhaotswe ka maikaelelo go tswa ditheong tse di kwadisitsweng ka molao le tse di sa kwadisiwang . Dikakanyo tsa bone di ile tsa gatisiwa, tsa kwalwa, tsa sekasekwa mme tsa rarabololwa go ya ka mokgwa wa COSTA QDA mo mafaratlhatlheng a QDA a a swetsang ditharabololo le diphitlhelelo ka setegeniki. Kwa bokhutlong, thuto e digela ka dintlha-kgolo tse tharo: la ntlha ke dikakanyo tsa Ditheo-katiso tsa Poraefete tsa Thuto e Kgolwane ka ga melawana ya Lekgotla la Thuto e Kgolwane gore ikwadiso le tekantsho di theilwe mo thuto-kgolong e e tsepamisitsweng mo dipilareng tsa thuta-Modimo; la bobedi, botshelo jwa Ditheo-katiso tsa Poraefete tsa Thuto e Kgolwane bo angwa thata ke dikakanyo-kgolo tsa go tshikinya maikaelelo a Kereke, esitang le, maikaelelo a a fitlhegileng a go tlhoka boikanyego mo melawaneng ya Lekgotla la Thuto e Kgolwane; la boraro, Ditheokatiso tsa Poraefete tsa Thuto e Kgolwane di tsaya gore netefatso ya boleng, taolo, le tirisanommogo jaaka tiro e e botlhokwa mo go tsamaiseng Thuto e Kgolwane. Go itshekatshekela diphetogo go gatelelwa jaaka mokgwa wa se Aforika go atlenegisa boleng jwa maemo a thuta- Modimo le katiso.

Thuto-Modimo le thupello di bohlokwa ho morero le tjhebelopele ya Kereke. Ntlha e ka sehlohong diphuputsong tsa sengolwa sena ke hore mosebetsi o kgethehileng ona o phetwa jwang ke Kereke ho akaretswa Molaotheo wa tsa Thuto e Phahameng, wa 101 wa selemo sa 1997 o tlisitsweng ke mmuso o motjha o sa tshwaneng le wa maobeng wa kgethollo mona Afrika Borwa. Kwetliso ya Thuto-Modimo e fetotswe ke dintlha tse ngata􀂲ntlha e ka sehlohong, ke kamohelo etswang Lekgotleng la tsa Thuto e Phahameng, mmoho le diphetoho tsohle tse latetseng molawana ona o motjha wa tshebetso. Lefapha la Thuto e Phahameng e leng le nqosa la mmuso, le rera ho tlisa merero yohle ya dithuto le dikwetliso tsa ditheho tsa thuto e phahameng ka tlasa maemo a tshwanang a boleng. Diphethoho tse hlahisitsweng ke molaotheo wa Thuto e Phahameng, wa 101 wa selemo sa 1997, di susumetsa Dithuto tse Phahameng le kwetliso ya thuto-Modimo tse rutwang ke dikolo tsa poraefete le dikolo tsa mmuso. Phuputso tsena di hlaisa kananelo ya ditshwanelo mabapi, le tshebetso ya Kereke le ntshetsopele kgolong ya semoya ho Moruti wa phuteho. Morero e le ho ithuta seabo seo Lefapha la Thuto e Phahameng le bileng le sona ho Ditheho tsa Poraefete tsa Thuto-Modimo ho tloha nakong ya tshebediso ya molawana ona. Thuto-Modimo ya Tshebeletso e, e hlalosa seemo sa kamano pakeng tsa Lefapha la Thuto e Phahameng le Ditheho tsa Poraefete tsa Thuto-Modimo mona Afrika Borwa. Ho sebedisitswe mokgwa wa ho qhaqholla wa filosofi ya bo - mofetoledi (Interpretivist philosophical paradigm) , ebile patlisiso e lekolang ditheo tse fapafapaneng, tulong tse fapaneng. Phuputsong ena, bankakarolo ba le leshome le metso e tsheletseng (16) ba ile ba botswa dipotso ka mokgwa o hlophisitsweng hantle hore ho fumanwe lesedi le tebileng. Bankakarolo ba, ba kgethilwe ka boomo dithehong tse ngodisitsoeng ka molao le tse sa ngodiswang ka molao. Maikutlo le menahano ya bona a ile a hatiswa, le fetolelwa mongolong, a sebetswa le ho hlahlojwa ka tlhaiso-leseding e sebedisang mokgwa wa COSTA QDA o leng marangrang a maqhubu a bitswang QDA a ho qhaqholla dipatuwe ka ho sebedisa setegeniki. Ho phethela thuto ena, ho hlahelletse mekgahlelo/dihloho tse tharo, wa pele ke: mehopolo ya Ditheo tsa Poraefete tsa Thuto-Modimo mabapi le melawana ya Lefapha la Thuto e Phahameng tse tadimaneng le ho amohelwa ka semolao le maemo a lekanang a thuto, mehopolo ya bona e tsheheditswe dipilareng tsa Thuto-Modimo; wa bobedi bophelo ba Ditheo tsa Poraefete tsa Thuto-Modimo, bo itsheheditse ditjhebong tse mabapi le bodumedi le ntshetso pele ya Kereke, empa ho sena ho tshepa melawana ya Lekgotla la Thuto e Phahameng; wa ho qetela e leng wa boraro, Ditheo-tsa Thuto-Modimo di lekola netefatso ya boleng, taolo, le ho sebedisana mmoho hole bohlokwa ho laola Thuto e Phahameng. Patlisiso e esisinya phetoho e hlokang boitekolo ba Bo Afrika ditheo le mafapha bakeng sa hore Thuto-Modimo ebe ya boleng le maemo a phahameng.