Apart from their basic function to offer vocational skill training, FE colleges can play an important role as 'bridging' institutions, offering articulation routes between FE and HE through strictly franchised HE programmes. For example, if the first two years of a programme is franchised to an FE college, then the successful students automatically transfer to the HE institution for the third year programme. This method provides for the required expansion, ensures the quality and deals with the problem of articulation. Most importantly, it ensures that the FE colleges remain focused on providing skilled people at the FE levels. Institutions retain their current broad primary missions, and that programmes be allocated according to these missions.
Programmes be the building block for the funding model only.
The present focus of technikons on what is termed 'career' education and universities on 'academic' education be retained in the interim until the HE has established its planning and quality assessment systems and the HE system is planned and managed as a single co-ordinated system. Once this is achieved, it may be appropriate to reconsider the possibility of institutions changing their character. The role and function or responsibility of the HEC be implemented in phases.