SAQAs Role in the New NQF Environment

1
SAQAs Rolein the New NQF Environment

• Joe Samuels
• Deputy Executive Officer
• South African Qualifications Authority
• October 2009

2
Understanding of The NQF

• Framework of Communication, Coordination and
  Collaboration
• Communication communicate the current reality.
• Coordination coordinate the 3 sub-frameworks.
• Collaboration bringing various partners and
  stakeholders together to make the objectives a
  reality and to realise the idea of life long
  learning for all!

3
The NQF Act SAQAs New Role

• Coordinate Quality Councils (QCs)
• Develop and Maintain Levels/Level Descriptors
• Register Qualifications and Part-qualifications

4
The NQF Act SAQAs New Role

• Recognise Professional Bodies and Register
  Professional Designations
• Do or Commission Research (advise the Minister
  impact)

5
The NQF Act SAQAs New Role

• Establish International Relations with similar QF
  bodies and Share best practice
• Maintain Records of Education and Training (NLRD)

6
The NQF Act SAQAs New Role

• Evaluate Foreign Qualifications and Provide
  Advisory Service (DFQEAS)
• Conduct Advocacy of NQF (inform the public)

7
New Developments

• Changes in the political landscape
• 9 May 2009 One Minister of Education
• 10 May 2009 Two Ministers of Education
• Basic Education
• Higher Education and Training
• Training moved from Labour to Higher Education
• SETAs will move w.e.f. 1 November 2009

8
New Developments

• NQF Act Implementation
• Announced in the Government Gazette by Minister
  Pandor as 1 June 2009
• Appointment of the QCTO Board
• Projected appointment date ?
• Appointment of new SAQA Board
• Minister called for nominations
• Submission prepared for Ministers decision

9
Functioning of SAQA

• Implementation date for NQF Act 1 June 2009
  (including move to 10-level framework)
• Higher Education according to agreed communiqué
  with CHE
• Basic Education in line with agreements with
  Umalusi
• QCTO in line with agreements with DoL, carry on
  with standards setting and quality assurance
  until 1 April 2010

10
Annual Report 2008/9Embracing Change

• Embracing change (new mandate)
• Intellectual leadership (research, work and
  learning, career advice, RPL)
• Providing stability and Continuous Improvement
  (current mandate)
• Model Statutory Body (governance)
• Increased efficiency (financial management)
• Way forward (new strategic imperatives)

11
SAQA Publications 2008/9

• Learning _at_ Work (focuses on the need for
  continuing lifelong education for all and how
  this can be achieved in the workplace)
• Women, Work and Learning The Impact of Violence
  (outlines how various types of violence affect
  womens ability to benefit from learning
  experiences available to them, and how their
  learning potential can be enhanced)

12
SAQA Publications 2008/9

• Career Guidance Challenges and Opportunities
  (explores the role of career guidance in the
  development of the national qualifications
  framework in South Africa)
• The NQF and its Worlds looks at the context
  within which the South African NQF was developed
  and implemented

13
National Learners Records Database (NLRD)

• Purpose
• To provide policy makers with comprehensive
  information to enable informed decision-making
• To provide learners and employers with proof of
  qualifications obtained verifications, plus own
  track of life-long learning
• Management of NQF Information
• All registered qualifications (almost 10 000
  including Higher Education) part-qualifications
  (such as unit standards) Legacy
  qualifications all supporting information
• Records of education and training learners
  (almost
  9 million) and their achievements all supporting
  information (such as providers and assessors)

14
NLRD continued

• Verifications
• 2008/9 year
• 2 008 learning achievements of 1 177 prospective
  or current employees done for 75 companies
• transcripts of own results provided to 1 636
  people
• 2007/8 year
• 832 learning achievements of 548 prospective or
  current employees done for 47 companies
• transcripts of own results provided to 613 people

15
NLRD continued

• Verifications
• To date, 2009/10 year
• 1347 learning achievements of 783 prospective or
  current employees done for 64 companies
  (including public service departments)
• transcripts of own results provided to 617 people
• Between the instruction to do verifications at
  SAQA and mid-October
• 1795 qualifications of 1063 people were verified
  by 61 national and provincial government
  departments.
• Of these, the records of 21 people (65
  qualifications) from 9 departments were for high
  level posts such as Directors General.

16
Foreign Qualifications Evaluation and Advisory
Services

• Purpose
• Compares foreign with South African
  qualifications
• Determines appropriate levels of recognition in
  SA
• Guides appropriate placement in terms of the NQF
• Alignment with NQF objectives
• Access to, and mobility and progression within,
  education, training and career paths
• Full personal development of each learner and the
  social and economic development of the nation at
  large

17
Foreign Qualifications Evaluation and Advisory
Services

• Alignment with international best practice
• Ongoing benchmarking with international peers and
  instruments
• Manifests in Criteria and Guidelines

18
Foreign Qualifications Evaluation and Advisory
Services

• Current impact
• Compulsory in terms of Immigration Policy (all
  general and quota work permits)
• Advisory for a range of other purposes
• Annual application rate 25 000 to 30 000
• In addition to evaluation, general advisory
  service
• Individual
• Institutional
• National e.g. Treasury Dept 2 hrs for
  application

19
Way Forward

• Provide high quality, value added, quick
  turnaround service to the government wrt
• Local (national) Verifications
• Foreign qualifications
• Future authenticity of qualifications

20
SAQAs Rolein the New NQF Environment

• Joe Samuels
• Deputy Executive Officer
• South African Qualifications Authority
• October 2009