Teacher training is a significant and integral component of a sound education system. Theneed for quality programmes and relevantly qualified personnel cannot be overemphasised.Effective learning organisations result from good governance and strategic management.The purpose of this study was to determine how teacher training colleges (TTCs) inSwaziland could be transformed into effective Learning Organisations (LOs)? The followingresearch questions guided the study. These were formulated as follows: What were thecharacteristics of effective learning organisations?; which factors had the potential fordeveloping TTCs as learning organisations?; which factors restricted the TTCs in Swazilandfrom functioning as effective learning organizations? And how were TTCs in Swazilandgoverned and strategically managed?The study emanated from concerns raised for a number of years on the quality andrelevancy of TTCs in Swaziland. Such concerns were noted by both the print and electronicmedia as well as members of the general public. The training programmes in TTCs havebeen widely criticized, particularly with regard to standards, quality and relevance of thetraining process in relation to meeting the nation and the global requirements. The study wasqualitative and was underpinned by the interpretism research paradigm employing anethnographic approach. The study was conducted in three selected teacher training collegesin Swaziland namely; the Nazarene College of Education and the William Pitcher TeacherTraining College both based in the Manzini Region, and Ngwane Teachers’ College based inthe Shiselweni Region. This study employed the purposive sampling procedure. ThematicContent Analysis (TCA) was used for the data analysis process.The findings of the study revealed that participants felt that characteristics of effective LOsincluded the availability of both well qualified academic and specialized non academic staff,adequate and relevant infrastructure, dynamic, innovative and responsive curriculum, qualityassurance checks and balances mechanisms, good libraries and IT facilities , sufficientfunding and innovative leadership. Regarding the factors that have the potential fordeveloping TTCs to LOs, participants felt that institutional support from TTC leaders, adherence to professional and institutional values, using of mistakes as learning curve ratherthan criticism, and serious engagement in learning by all members was of paramountsignificance.On the factors that restricted TTCs in Swaziland from functioning as effective LOs, the studyrevealed that these included cumbersome bureaucracy, lack of rewards and incentives forstaff members, poor mobility structures, poor promotion formula as well as lack ofrecognition for professional development or academic achievements. Regarding the mannerin which TTCs are governed and strategically managed, the study revealed that this wascharacterized by a centralized, top down, weak unresponsive governance system seriouslylacking autonomy, long and confusing bureaucracy, unresponsive and cumbersomeprocurement procedures.The conclusion was that the Government needs to restructure the governance andmanagement systems of TTCs. The country should consider granting autonomy especially inthe procurement processes. The promotion of staff in TTCs must be based on academicachievements and the Government needs to recognize the significance of giving rewardsand incentive to here employees. For transformation to occur in TTCs there is need forcollege lecturers to adapt to change and for leaders to disseminate vital information to staff members all the time. The study concluded by developing a strategic management model to guide the development governance, management and operations of TTCs in Swaziland and their subsequent transformation to effective LOs.
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